The Heart of Akane Tendo
by RankoFan
Summary: Akane and Ranma weren't ready to be married, that much should have been obvious to anyone who knew them. They were however, ready to try a real relationship finally. What happens when an old enemy returns and uses the Soulsplitter on Ranma in order to split him in half? Akane searches deep within her heart desperate for answers as Ranma and Ranko cope with their new circumstances.
1. Aftermath of a Failed Wedding

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

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><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Prologue

_Aftermath of a Failed Wedding_

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The evening of the failed wedding found everyone's nerves, especially Ranma's, shot beyond recognition from all of the chaos earlier in the day. His mind refused to quiet down as it replayed over and over a certain conversation he had had with Akane before all hell had broken loose in the dojo. Both of the Kuno siblings tried to recapture their respective suitors. Tatewaki tried in vain to kill Ranma with a real katana while Koadchi showed up in a wedding dress. Ukyo and Shampoo threw exploding food all over the place and caused quite the disruption. Shampoo went so far as to actually try to hurt Akane but it was unclear whether or not Ukyo had as well. As if all of that chaos wasn't enough, there were other trouble makers and as a consequence, the dojo was nearly completely destroyed. Happosai drank the congratulatory Nannīchuan water like it was sake while Mousse, Genma and Ryoga all had tried to steal it for their own selfish purposes. Nabiki sat back with a smile on her face as she greedily counted entry fees being the perfect example of a heartless wench inviting all of Nerima's lunatics to wreck the wedding between him and the mercenary's own little sister.

Dinner was a quiet affair that evening and Ranma sighed heavily as he picked at his food slowly while looking around the table. Hardly any words were spoken and the black haired boy found his thoughts bouncing back and forth from area of his brain to another in a painful game of pong. He shut his eyes tightly in a vain attempt to block out the world so that his mind might quiet down. Ranma sighed irritably when he opened his eyes again and a wave of dizziness washed over him from the sudden influx of light. The pigtailed martial artist mentally cursed himself and went back to picking at his dinner at a pace even a snail would find slow.

He ignored his father and Mr. Tendo as they briefly mentioned the failure of the wedding and how the schools would never be joined. Nabiki's face was difficult to read as usual, but Ranma figured she was absolutely delighted with how things had turned out that afternoon. Kasumi's face concealed her inner pain as she displayed her typical calm and collected mask she typically wore. Nodoka was frowning in disappointment that the wedding had been disrupted. She had been quite happy that the two youngest were going to be wed only to have it all fall apart. Akane, well, she wasn't even at the dinner table having declared that she wasn't hungry earlier. Ranma wondered what would happen now that everything lay in tatters.

"Ranma", Kasumi said serenely, "Would you please take some dinner up for Akane? I know she said she wasn't particularly hungry but she should really eat something tonight."

"Sure", Ranma replied as he stood up and took the tray upstairs. The pigtailed martial artist was clad in a pair of black pants and a blue Chinese shirt. He paused outside Akane's door wondering just how loud he wanted to be. If she was asleep he would rather not wake her up but he couldn't just walk in unannounced either. Ranma pursed his lips and knocked on the door in a polite manner so as to not wake her up if she happened to be asleep. Silence.

"Akane?", Ranma asked hesitantly. Silence. Figuring she was asleep he slipped into her room quietly and looked around in the diminished light and found no trace of his fiancée. He walked over towards her desk and looked out the opened window as he set the tray down, wondering if she was on the roof thinking about things.

Ranma decided not to bother the raven haired girl and walked back into the dining room in order to finish his own dinner. He knew he had a lot to think about and would need a calm and relaxing place to do it. If Akane was on the roof, Ranma figured she wouldn't appreciate him barging in on her space despite it being his favorite place to think. The dojo's roof was out of the question for now since it had been heavily damaged during the afternoon attack. Ranma decided he could go to the park in an effort to clear his head.

"Ranma", Nodoka said casually, "I would like to speak with you after dinner please."

"Um, okay Mom. Do you want to talk to me as a guy or a girl?", Ranma asked quietly, not personally caring at the moment which form he would be in for their talk. The curse was a nuisance, but he was so used to it that it didn't really bother him nearly as much as it used to. It was more being a water magnet and changing randomly than the actual change itself that bothered him. While he would have preferred to stay male a little longer the pigtailed martial artist figured his mother would rather talk to her daughter.

"I would like to talk to my daughter if that is alright with you", Nodoka said thoughtfully as she got a far away look in her eyes and sighed wistfully. Although it seemed as though his mother was giving him a choice, Ranma knew better than to really believe that and resigned to becoming a girl for awhile.

She loved her son dearly, but what she wouldn't give to have a daughter as well. The Saotome Matriarch's mind drifted back to Ranko Tendo, Ranma's alter ego when he was hiding in plain sight before the events at the Saotome grave sight a couple months back around New Years. Ranko was a bit of a tomboy but that made perfect sense considering who she really was. Nodoka found herself often missing the feisty red-head and wished she could have both Ranma and Ranko as her children.

Nodoka wondered idly if there was a way to split Ranma into two people. Not only would she perhaps have an uncursed son, but she would have a daughter as well. If that was possible, she could adopt the new girl into the Saotome clan and have a daughter after all. The family resemblance was rather striking as Ranma's girl form looked almost exactly like she had when she was a teenager. Nodoka figured she could ask Happosai or Cologne the next time she saw either one of them. She didn't particularly trust either the ancient pervert or the Amazon Matriarch, but when it came to knowledge and magic, there was no one better to ask.

"I would like for you to wait for me out by the Koi pond. Think about your future while I help Kasumi clean up. I shouldn't be long", Nodoka said softly, but firmly.

"Of course Mom", Ranma replied as Nodoka and Kasumi walked into the kitchen to clean up the dishes everyone had used. Soun and Genma walked over to the Shogi board and started a new game while Nabiki couldn't wait to go upstairs and count her profits for the day again.

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><p>Meanwhile, a petite raven haired girl dressed in a yellow sundress sat on the roof overlooking the Koi pond holding a damaged wedding dress in her hands. Akane's eyes shimmered in the failing sunlight of dusk and tears tracked down her face before landing on the roof with a soft plopping sound. Why couldn't people just leave her and Ranma alone? It seemed like no matter what was going on someone was always interfering and making a mess of things. It was as if it wasn't already hard enough to figure out how they really felt about one another. Akane sighed and closed her eyes for a few moments as her thoughts drifted backwards in time to earlier that day.<p>

_Akane ran into her room, tears flowing from her eyes as she quickly closed and locked her door. She stripped off her mostly destroyed wedding dress and stared at it in her hands as she collapsed onto her bed. Scorch marks and black soot from the bombs covered a lot of it. There were a few splits from Kuno's katana and the beads on the bodice were partially ripped off from when Happosai had tried to grope her. _

_Akane shuddered in revulsion of the little ancient pervert and she threw the dress into the trashcan next to her desk. There would be no way to repair the dress even if Akane had wanted to. The youngest Tendo didn't want to remember this day and all the pain associated with it at all. She put her head in her hands and sobbed. The raven haired young woman suddenly felt incredibly dirty so she grabbed a robe and her toiletries and headed down to the furoba to take a bath._

_She stripped and sat on one of the washing stools and scrubbed herself nearly raw in a vain effort to remove Happosai's grubby little fingers from her soul. After rinsing and sliding into the tub she started to feel a lot better and relaxed in the warm water. Her thoughts inevitably wandered back to the discussion Ranma and her were having in her room just before he took off after the Nannīchuan water. The two of them had nearly gotten into a fight when she had asked him directly if he loved her. Of course, being Ranma and having anything to do with feelings he denied it. Akane had really thought he had grown up in Jusendo when she had nearly died trying to help him. In fact, hadn't she died? The events were relatively fuzzy to her but she seemed to have been in a dark room with no ceiling or floor. She could hear him calling out to her, telling her to hang on, screaming with every bit of his soul that he loved her. Hadn't she?_

_Akane sighed and pondered what to do now. The wedding was destroyed and there wouldn't be another one until the fiancée mess was taken care of, or so her father claimed. It wouldn't surprise her in the least if they tried again next week, especially if Ranma and her started to get along. The raven haired girl was well passed tired of fighting with her fiancé all the time and just wanted some peace. She hoped it would come in the form of him picking her and the two of them dealing with the other girls together._

'_How can I improve our relationship?', Akane mused to herself as she sunk a little lower in the tub in order to hide from the world just that little bit more. _

_'We're back to square one. He has three other "fiancées" he could choose, even more if he left completely and pursued someone else entirely. I can't control what he does, but perhaps I can change a few things to encourage him to pick me. Wait a minute, since when did I want him to be my fiancé/husband?' _

'_Somewhere before Jusendo Akane, but definitely since then', a different part of her mind supplied warmly as she felt her heart strings tug. _

_Akane stayed in the tub for awhile and continued to think about what she could change, what she would change and a plan started to form in her mind. A smile crossed her lips but felt she should probably get a second and a third opinion as a chocolate sundae really started to appeal to her. The youngest Tendo climbed out of the tub, dried off and wrapped the robe around herself and left the furoba. She walked down the hallway to the phone and called Yuka and Sayuri in order to invite them out for an ice cream outing the following day._

Akane knew she wasn't ready to get married. She wasn't even eighteen years old yet for crying out loud. Her fiancé had the emotional development of a five year old and he still had two fiancées that were both trying to claim him as a prize. His mouth seemed to have a mind of its own which had frequently said hurtful things to her in the past. Despite all of that though, Akane had found herself falling in love with the baka anyway. The raven haired girl looked at her destroyed dress again and felt her anger rising as her battle aura appeared around her.

'_Shampoo calls me a Kitchen Destroyer_', Akane fumed menacingly as she tightened her grip around her blackened dress, '_Maybe I should live up to that nickname and throw some exploding food in their restaurants as payback for this little stunt. See how they like it. This insult cannot go unpunished. Those two bitches have no honor throwing exploding food with innocents nearby like that. I refuse to stoop to that level but that doesn't mean I can't destroy their kitchens in retribution._'

Akane closed her eyes and took a deep breath as she slowed her breathing. She needed to be calm, detached and rational in order to make plans to enact her revenge. Now was not the time to get angry as it would only cloud her thinking. The raven haired girl opened her eyes and noticed Ranma walking towards the Koi pond. Raising an eyebrow in curiosity, she made her way off the roof and snuck around the yard until she could hide nearby and listen in should he actually say anything out loud.

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><p>Ranma sighed deeply as he walked over towards the Koi pond and sat down on the rock edges and dangled his feet in the cold water. He didn't even seem to notice when he changed and just sat there looking up at the stars and moon above her. The water felt really good on her toes and seemed to drain a little of the stress the red haired girl was feeling about the day's events.<p>

Akane watched and noted in amusement that her fiancé really didn't seem to care what form he was in anymore. Months ago he never would have voluntarily become a girl just by dipping a toe. Ranma seemed to have accepted his curse and make it a part of himself. Maybe he didn't even view it as a curse anymore, after all he was unique. How many people could experience both sides of the coin of life like Ranma could. The raven haired girl was pretty sure she never wanted to be a boy but part of her wondered what it would be like to experience the other side, if but for a moment. Akane shook her head slightly to drive away those thoughts and concentrated on listening to her fiancé again should he say anything.

Ranma stared down into the Koi pond and saw the full moon behind her reflection and thought, '_Akane was so incredibly beautiful in her wedding dress this afternoon. I was actually able to tell her that without stumbling over my words too badly. Why then, when she asked me one of the most important question of them all, whether or not I loved her, did I freeze up and deny it? She was willing to expose her own vulnerability just for some honesty from me and I let her down. I let us down. It doesn't matter that everyone else ruined everything and we wouldn't have actually been able to get married today, I hurt her. I hurt her more than I ever had before and I need to make it up to her somehow._'

"All I ever do is hurt her…", Ranma mused aloud, pain evident in her voice and she hoped no one had actually heard her as she continued to stare into the Koi pond and sighed heavily.

Akane gasped silently and put a hand over her mouth. The raven haired girl didn't know what context Ranma had meant but she recognized the self loathing in her voice that spoke of pain and torment. The youngest Tendo thought back to her own actions over the course of their "courtship" and drew a similar conclusion. Akane sighed softly and thought, '_All I ever do is hurt him. If I'm not calling him a pervert or bashing him over the head with a table, I'm pushing him away in some other way. How do I make it up to him? How do we get passed all of the fighting and insults and actually fall in love with one another?_'

Ranma frowned as another thought appeared from her subconscious, '_You need to treat her like a real friend Ranma and not an unwanted fiancée. Ever since that first day you have done almost nothing but mercilessly pick on her with your insults. You can't seem to think of her as a martial artist but rather a burden and yet you won't help her improve. What kind of future Sensei are you? What kind of friend are you? What kind of man are you?_'

"I don't mean anything by them. Why can't she see that?", Ranma said as she shook her head wondering where these other thoughts were coming from and when they would stop bothering her.

A different part of her, probably her heart, spoke this time and said, '_How is she supposed to know that? She can't read your mind you know. All she can rely on is what you say and do, and all you do is say mean things to her and dismiss her as though she is nothing. It's amazing she doesn't hate you after all the hate you seem to pile on her…_'

'_Why can't I see what?_', Akane thought to herself as she strained to hear Ranma talk to herself. She knew she shouldn't be listening in, but the raven haired girl was far too curious to learn about her fiancé not to. Perhaps it would provide her with some valuable insight and she could figure out how to break through his outer shell. Akane puzzled over Ranma's last statement as she thought, '_I don't mean anything by them… Ah, the Saotome foot and mouth disease. He doesn't actually mean to insult me all the time? Well baka you did, but perhaps you'll change your ways and I can react positively to that soon without it being obvious that I am listening in right now._'

"I don't hate her…", Ranma said as she looked away from the Koi pond and her reflection briefly enough to see the crystal clear night sky above her. There seemed to be a million stars out that night, each one pronouncing judgment on the lonely red haired girl.

'_Oh really? Prove it. Start treating her like an equal…_', her heart interrupted as it gave her an unpleasant thump in her chest.

'_Hmm, he doesn't hate me. Well that's good I suppose. I mean he screamed that he loved me a week ago in China so of course he doesn't hate me. Does he love me though despite his denial this afternoon?_', Akane thought to herself not really sure what to make of her fiancé's rollercoaster of emotions.

"But she isn't an equal…", Ranma said defiantly and immediately winced as she looked around hoping especially that her fiancée wasn't listening.

Akane growled softly upon hearing that and nearly gave herself away. She noticed the wince though and realized that Ranma was warring with herself as different aspects of her mind were presenting her with various viewpoints. The youngest Tendo thought bitterly to herself, '_Baka, I am too your equal, unless you mean in martial arts terms then you're right since you refuse to train me._'

'_And whose fault is that?_', the red haired girl's heart once again interrupted, this time more forcefully and Ranma felt her chest cave in and knock the wind out of her briefly. She slowed her breathing to will her body to control itself but it seemed to be acting out on its own.

"Mine. It's all my fault, everything that is wrong is all my fault.", Ranma replied louder, filled with self loathing and sadness as her eyes shimmered and tears pooled in her stormy blue eyes.

Akane gasped in surprise and looked down at the surface of the Koi pond at the defeated tone of Ranma's voice. The raven haired girl sighed heavily as she thought bitterly, '_Everything isn't your fault Ranma. A lot of it is my fault too. We both have these walls up that we refuse to let the other one through. Since we were fighting the engagement as well as each other all the time, it just got to be a matter of protection in order to keep the other one out of our hearts. Maybe we'll show each other how we really feel soon, assuming it doesn't encourage those idiots to spring another wedding on us._'

Ranma looked back at the Koi pond again and sighed. It was all her fault. She was the one that brought all of the chaos with her into Akane's life. She was the one that refused to treat her as anything but a nuisance and a second-rate martial artist. She was the one that couldn't seem to control her mouth and said absolutely horrendous things to tomboy, and she expected the raven haired girl to like her? That was the cosmic joke wasn't it. Ranma deserved all of the Karma she had coming to her if she couldn't even be nice to the one person that actually mattered to her other than her mother. The Saotome heiress lowered her head in shame and while she tried in vain not to cry her body decided otherwise and tears streamed down her face. They fell into the Koi pond and created a multiple ripples that Ranma watched spread out in the surface of the water in contemplative silence.

Akane's tears shimmered in her eyes and tracked down her cheeks as she noticed Ranma's tears splashing into the Koi pond. The tiny droplets of water created a dazzling ripple design in the normally placid water. She looked up at the moon for a moment and silently prayed that the two of them would let go of their pride and come together soon. The raven haired girl hoped that they could get over the hurt and pain of the past and start over with a clean slate. Perhaps they could do things a lot better and get along easier. A shooting star passed overhead then and Akane gasped softly, wondering if she would indeed get her wish as she clasped her hands over her heart.

"What is all your fault Ranma?", Nodoka asked gently as she knelt down and embraced her daughter who was apparently crying and engaged in a conversation with her own reflection.

"Everything…", Ranma replied softly as she watched the last of the ripples fade away into nothingness. A nothingness she felt in her heart in light of just how mean she had been to her best friend. Best friend… Was Akane really her best friend in light of all of their fights?

"Oh I seriously doubt that", Nodoka admonished gently but then asked, "Is there something in particular you feel that is all your fault?"

"I've treated Akane horribly and while she hasn't been a saint, I doubt she would have been mad at me as often as she was if I wasn't calling her names all the time. She would be a better martial artist and more confident in her own abilities if I had actually treated her like an equal and helped her out. I have failed her Mom. Maybe I should just leave her alone from now on and release her from any obligation to her freakish shape-changing fiancé", Ranma replied as another set of tears escaped the confines of her stormy blue eyes and fell into the Koi pond. Both Saotomes and Akane watched the ripples dissipate in a moment in silence.

'_No Ranma, please don't leave me!_', Akane thought desperately as a torrent of tears rolled down her puffy cheeks and splattered on her sundress, '_You've realized what you've done wrong as have I. Please stay and we can fix this, I know we can. All we have to do is cut back the insults and you can start training me now. I love you baka, please, this doesn't have to be good-bye!_'

"Now now Ranma, I don't want to hear you talk like this you hear me? Yes you have a curse that gives you an interesting perspective on life but that doesn't make you a freak", Nodoka scolded as she gently hugged her child. "You are my son and my daughter and I love you in either form."

Nodoka looked thoughtful for a moment as she considered something and smiled as she said gently, "Ranma, instead of leaving her why don't you help her? You say you call her names all of the time and yes, I have heard you, so why don't stop that and treat her nicer? Treat her how you would like to be treated. Compliment her occasionally and stop the name calling, you're a little old to be so childish anyway. You say you should have helped her out all this time, well you can't change the past but you can start helping her now after all it isn't too late. If you two were going to join the schools of Anything Goes, wouldn't you need to teach her the Saotome style and wouldn't she need to teach you the Tendo style? Why haven't you two been doing that all along?"

Ranma opened her mouth in order to say something but then stopped. Why indeed? The pigtailed martial artist mused, '_If only I could go back, I'd train her from the start and not insult her so much. Things would probably have been a lot better for us. As much as I loved the attention from the other girls, I should have dealt with them right away as stringing them along has only hurt everyone._'

'_Yes, listen to your mother Ranma_', Akane thought hopefully as she wiped away a few of the tears that had collected in her warm brown eyes. The raven haired girl was really glad she had decided to stay and listen in. Even though she felt a little guilty and would probably resent Ranma doing the same to her, she needed to know what was going on in that head of his. He had gone from sobbing wreck and yelling out his love to his old self and it confused her. She desperately wanted to know how he really felt and this conversation with his mother would be a great way to discover some truth.

Nodoka noticed the silence and smiled, pleased that her daughter was thinking about what she had said, or at least thinking about something and asked, "Do you think you two would have gotten along better if it wasn't for the forced engagement?"

"I don't know honestly", Ranma said as she shrugged her shoulders. "I've often wondered what the real cause of our problems were. Were we fighting one another because of the engagement or would we have fought with each other anyway? Would my mouth have ruined everything without an engagement hanging over our heads? Mom, do you think you could cancel all of the engagements until after senior year? That would give us a year to sort things out without as much pressure", Ranma asked, hope in her voice for the first time in a while.

'_Yes_', Akane thought, '_I'm pretty sure we wouldn't have fought so much if it weren't for that. After all, if we had gotten along our fathers would have forced us to get married even sooner than they already tried earlier. Ranma, you want to cancel our engagement too?_' The raven haired girl wiped another tear away and looked thoughtful as she mused about becoming friends with Ranma without an engagement entanglement. If the two of them didn't have to worry about any fiancées for a year, they could grow as friends and be that much stronger as a couple down the road. The idea definitely had some merit.

Nodoka sighed and shook her head, "From what you have told me about these Amazons I seriously doubt they would listen to me. Ukyo and Kodachi might be reasonable but if we couldn't get them all to agree, then none of them would, nor should. I know your father and Soun would rather not see your engagement to Akane be delayed a year and I'm quite sure they would do something stupid."

"Pops and stupid go hand in hand", Ranma quipped with a smile.

Akane clamped her hand over her mouth and fought with every fiber of her being in order to prevent herself from exploding in laughter. Her giggling caused her body to vibrate but she knew she couldn't afford to give herself away now, not when things were really getting interesting. The youngest Tendo definitely agreed with Ranma's appraisal of her father's mental capacities though.

Nodoka frowned and said, "Ranma, I know your father is an idiot sometimes", this received a sarcastic snort from the two girls listening, "but he is your father. I want you to show him proper respect young lady."

"Yes Mother", Ranma replied dutifully and thought, '_Pops doesn't deserve respect for all the crap he's pulled, but I will for you mother._'

'_Genma doesn't deserve any respect from his son, Auntie_', Akane thought heatedly as she clenched her fists remembering a lot of the stunts the overweight, lazy oaf had pulled on Ranma over the years.

"Still", Nodoka said thoughtfully while she tapped her chin with her forefinger, "that doesn't mean we shouldn't try. We could hold the meeting here, or at some neutral location and hope that everyone would get along well enough so that something was accomplished."

"Good luck getting Shampoo, Ukyo, Kodachi and Akane in a room together without them trying to kill one another and me", Ranma replied with a frown on her face as she briefly shuddered. The red haired girl pulled her feet out of the pond deciding that was the reason she shivered and not the thought of the four girls trying to kill each other. Ranma knew it was a lie though. She also figured Akane would just sit back and let the other three duke it out, after all she wasn't interested in him anyway.

'_Hey!_', Akane mentally shouted heatedly, '_I'm not going to attack them over you unless they attack me first. Haven't you noticed Ranma that I am the only one that doesn't chase you and am giving you a chance to make up your own mind?_'

"Why would they attack you if you are what they are after?", Nodoka asked confusion clearly written all over her face.

"I'll get caught in the crossfire like usual", Ranma replied sheepishly as she shrugged her shoulders. The red haired girl continued bitterly, "I'm nothing but a prize to be won by those three and I'm sick of it. One way or another I am going to end these engagements once and for all and find some manner of peace in my life."

'_Thank you Kami-sama_', Akane thought to herself as she clasped her hands in front of her chest and smiled. It seemed as though Ranma was finally going to declare war on the status quo, something that should have been done ages ago in her opinion but better late than never. The raven haired girl wondered if her own engagement was going to be fought against as well though and bit her lip nervously as she waited for her fiancé to speak again.

"Are you including Akane in that declaration?", Nodoka asked, mirroring the youngest Tendo's concerns even though she had no idea the raven haired girl was present and listening intently to their conversation.

"Akane isn't insane like Shampoo, Kodachi and to a lesser extent Ukyo are and she doesn't chase me. I don't think she views me as a prize to be won either so no, I am not including her in that declaration of war", Ranma replied as her eyes sparked with an internal fire the copper haired woman hadn't seen all evening. Up until now her son turned daughter had been mostly morose, dwelling on mistakes in the past and being unhappy. Now, she appeared to be deciding to take control of the situation and dealing with it, once and for all somehow.

'_You are a prize Ranma, but I cannot win you like those other three idiots are trying to do nor would I want to_', Akane mused to herself thoughtfully and continued, '_I've seen how you react when being chased and it's not very favorable. I was going to get married to you this afternoon. If that doesn't scream that I am interested in being with you I don't know what will. Perhaps you believe that it was all our fathers' doing and that I didn't want to do it at all. I can't blame you for thinking that given their history as well as ours._'

"I need to talk to her Mom. I mean _really _talk to her", Ranma said with conviction in her voice and her body began to glow a whitish color with a slight reddish hue to it. Her aura faded almost as quickly as it appeared while Nodoka nodded her head in understanding.

The raven haired girl's mouth widened into a sunny smile as she thought, '_When Ranma? When do you think we can have an honest conversation where we bare our hearts and souls to one another and finally lay our fears to rest? I want to be a real couple after nearly dying in Jusendo. I'm tired of this stalemate and life is too short for us to waste it anymore on what-ifs and might have beens._'

"Why haven't you talked with her today?", Nodoka asked, puzzled. If it was so important for her son to talk to his fiancée, shouldn't he have done that already?

"I did and I blew it earlier. I was ambushed by Pops and Mr. Tendo and when I woke up I was in a tuxedo. I sort of barged into Akane's room and demanded to know what was going on. Kami-sama she looked so beautiful in her wedding dress", Ranma replied as she looked down at the Koi pond again.

Akane blushed heavily at the praise her fiancé was saying about her and she felt tears of happiness roll down her cheeks as she clasped her hands over her heart again. How she had longed to hear Ranma tell her she was pretty, cute, beautiful or something along those lines instead of uncute, unsexy and a myriad number of other hurtful things he had in the past. Akane thought for a moment and a smile spread across her face as she thought dreamily, '_I want you to choose me because you love me Ranma. I need you to want me as well. I don't want you to feel like you have to marry me out of duty, honor, or worse, just settling for your uncute tomboy._'

The youngest Tendo paused in her musings for a moment as her smile widened and she thought, '_Your tomboy…_', delighted with how that possessive adjective sounded to her within her mind. Akane continued and mused, '_If you'll have me Ranma, I am your tomboy just as you are my baka. I will have to show you that I want you though because I think you still doubt that. I still have doubts that you want me. Will you please be my boy/girlfriend?_'

"How did you blow it dear?", Nodoka asked even though she was pretty sure she already knew what he was going to say.

"She asked me if I loved her Mom", Ranma said shakily and looked away. The red haired girl really didn't want to admit the next part. She wanted to tell Akane alone the true feelings she felt instead of what her mouth had said that afternoon. Oh well, her mouth had already betrayed her by admitting that she had messed up earlier and there was nothing left to do but plow recklessly ahead.

"And…?", Nodoka asked slyly and gave her current daughter a knowing look.

Ranma looked away from her mother and shuddered briefly as a cold chill swept through her. The red haired girl then turned to look directly at Akane's hiding spot with fear in her eyes. The red haired girl knew from the beginning that her fiancée was spying on her mother-daughter conversation but saw no reason to call Akane out on her eavesdropping until now. Ranma knew she had a problem with the Saotome foot and mouth disease and thought she could say some things to her fiancée without actually having to say them to her and risk mixing up her words. There were just some things she didn't want to tell the raven haired girl this early or like this though which most certainly including a declaration of love. Ranma knew she had to talk to Akane alone soon if she wanted any chance to be with the girl she loved. The red haired girl was still annoyed with herself that she froze up and denied her feelings that afternoon but now was not the time to truly confess. They would be words for her love alone.

"Um…", Ranma said as she squirmed in her seated position and looked away from Akane's hiding place. She refused to look at her mother as well and fell silent.

"It's alright Ranma", Nodoka said gently as she wrapped her arms around her temporary daughter. "You don't have to say anything to me out loud. I know that you need to talk to Akane first, after all, some things really ought to be said between a couple before the mother gets involved."

Akane frowned at the notion that her fiancé wouldn't diverge any more information regarding her but then she caught sight of Ranma's gaze that seemed to pierce her hiding place. Had the red haired girl sensed her after all? How long had Ranma known she was hiding there? Akane started to panic wondering how mad her fiancé was for the intrusion while another part of her wondered if the red haired girl had been apparently oblivious on purpose. Maybe it was a way she could say some things that she might have been unable to say face to face without stumbling or putting her foot in her mouth.

"Well Ranma, this has been quite an enlightening conversation", Nodoka said as she struggled to rise to her feet, "but it's time for these old bones to get back indoors and out of the evening chill. I am going to get some tea and warm up and then I think I shall retire for the evening. I would like to talk to you about your other fiancée's but we can do that tomorrow. Good night daughter, and good luck."

"Good night Mother. Thank you for speaking with me this evening even if you did insist on it first", Ranma replied with an impish grin on her delicate face. The red haired girl stood up on shaky legs and walked into the house to get herself some tea as well.

* * *

><p>The raven haired girl sighed as she allowed herself to finally relax and watched as the two Saotome women walked back into the house. There was absolutely no doubt in the youngest Tendo's mind that Ranma knew she was there even though she had only looked in her direction a couple of times. It was possible Ranma hadn't sensed her but she doubted that. With the exception of Dr. Tofu or Cologne, no one snuck up on Ranma unless she was incredibly preoccupied.<p>

Akane giggled softly as she watched Ranma trying in vain to walk gracefully but failing miserably due to the coldness in her legs. She looked more like a poorly made robot hobbling along. Akane's mirth quickly fled when she realized she would look the same way as she stood up on shaky knees and wobbly legs. She rubbed her legs in an effort to restore the feeling in them and suddenly they felt like a thousand needles were pricking her as sensation returned fairly quickly.

The youngest Tendo walked around the garden for a few minutes in order to restore all of the feeling to her legs. Akane then made her way back onto the roof and picked up her destroyed wedding dress. She sighed heavily and looked at it sadly. The raven haired girl thought back to the conversation she had overheard and realized she hadn't actually learned that much. She still didn't know how Ranma felt about her since his declaration of love in Jusendo coupled with the reversal in the form of a denial that afternoon. Akane knew that he didn't want any of the other girls but that still didn't mean he wanted her.

'_I wonder if my idea earlier will work_', Akane thought to herself worriedly as she paced back and forth on the roof over her bedroom. She knew Ranma didn't like to be touched particularly but maybe that was only from girls he didn't like throwing themselves at him. So long as she didn't go overboard with her friendly advances and light touches maybe things would work out alright. The problem was this put most of the power in Ranma's hands and the raven haired girl really didn't want to do that. Still though, they could theoretically be locked in a stalemate if both of them waited for some sort of move by the other.

'_Do I want to let him make the first move, or should I?_', Akane mused as she climbed through her window and sat on her bed for a few moments. The youngest Tendo walked over towards her calendar and frowned when she noticed that Valentine's day was only two weeks away. If they were ever going to have a romantic date, that would be the perfect day to do so. It turned out that the special day fell on a Saturday that year which made it even more perfect for date night. It would be one more thing to talk to Yuka and Sayuri about the following day during their ice cream social.

Akane's stomach growled at her as she thought about food. She looked around her room and spotted a tray of food that someone had dropped off at some point. The raven haired girl figured it had been Kasumi while the youngest Tendo had been outside on the roof before she had eavesdropped on her fiancé. Akane sighed and wondered, '_Why didn't she just leave it in the refrigerator? It's stone cold now, but thank you for the thought anyway Kasumi._'

The raven haired girl looked at the meal which consisted of fish, soup and rice and frowned. Akane didn't want to eat it cold but did she really want to run into Ranma? She didn't feel like she was ready to face him, especially if he was upset with her about the little reconnaissance mission earlier. Akane knew how little privacy the pigtailed martial artist really had and she broke that trust because she was too damned curious.

'_Maybe it would be better if I avoided him tonight and tried to talk to him tomorrow_', Akane thought before another part of her, her conscious no doubt, said scathingly, '_Coward. You should face him tonight and clear the air between the two of you. If nothing else you owe him a real apology for trespassing on his private mother-son talk._'

"Bweee?"

Akane screeched in fright as the sound startled her. Her hand flew to her chest over her heart as she jumped in her chair. The raven haired girl looked around after a few moments of breathing deeply in order to still her heart and noticed P-chan on the floor near her bed.

"P-chan!", Akane exclaimed happily as she climbed out of her chair and scooped up the little black pig into her arms. She hugged the animal between her breasts and Ryoga was in piggy heaven as his head rested in between her soft pillows. The youngest Tendo asked in a sing song voice, "Where have you been you naughty boy?"

"Bweee Bweee Bweee", P-chan said as Ryoga thought, '_Well, I thought I was heading back to Akari's but perhaps I am meant to be here one last time. You were prepared to marry Ranma this afternoon, I guess you really do love him. He doesn't deserve you though. You deserve someone kind and honorable, like me._'

"Are you hungry P-chan?", Akane asked as she walked back over towards her desk and picked up the tray of food Ranma had left there an hour or so beforehand. P-chan nodded his head as the youngest Tendo said, "It's stone cold right now, how about we go down to the kitchen and warm it up?"

* * *

><p>The raven haired girl took her meal downstairs in order to warm it up in the microwave and wondered what she would say to Ranma when she ran into him. A minute later she poked her head into the kitchen and saw the one person she didn't want to face sitting at the table slowly drinking some tea. The black haired boy seemed to be lost in thought as he stared at his tea cup with a blank expression on his face.<p>

"Hello Akane", Ranma said emotionlessly when he noticed the raven haired girl poke her head through the doorway. The pigtailed martial artist narrowed his eyes when he sensed an all too familiar presence accompanying his fiancée though. Ranma sighed in exasperation and thought, '_Figures Ryoga would show up and ruin things. Why can't he get lost in Antarctica and stay there? How am I going to talk to Akane about things with the porker overhearing everything?_'

"Um, hello Ranma", Akane replied nervously as she walked all the way into the kitchen holding P-chan against her chest. There was no avoiding her fiancé now, not without making things even more awkward between them. Her conscious was already telling her what she should do, running wouldn't solve anything and actually would probably make things worse. Akane proceeded to heat up her dinner and wondered why Ranma's voice sounded so empty. The black haired boy seemed to be a shadow of his normal self and it was certainly a much different reaction than the raven haired girl was expecting.

Ranma growled seeing Ryoga cozying up to his fiancée and scowled as he closed his eyes for a moment in order to re-center himself. He couldn't let the pig get to him though, after all Ryoga knew how much the whole pig act bothered him. Even if Ryoga didn't enjoy rubbing up against Akane for its own sake he would continue to do so because it annoyed Ranma to no end.

"Are you alright Ranma?", Akane asked in concern as she prepared some tea while waiting for the microwave to tell her dinner was ready.

"I guess…", Ranma said slowly and looked down at his tea cup as if he was trying to divine some vision out of the tea leaves at the bottom of the cup while attempting to control his anger. He needed to get P-chan away from his fiancée somehow once and for all. The pigtailed boy really didn't know what to say to his fiancée at the moment anyway. He had noticed Akane had kind of avoided her all evening and was fine with that. The two of them had a lot to talk about but it seemed as though they needed to think things through first. The talk he had had with his mother earlier, even though Akane had listened in, had been quite helpful in organizing his thoughts. It also allowed him a chance to say some things that he felt Akane should know without tripping over his own words. Ranma was actually happy that his fiancée had listened in as it had made things easier somehow. Ranma had no such shield now as the person he needed to talk to was standing right in front of him.

"What's wrong Ranma?", Akane asked gently as the microwave signaled that her dinner was finished being reheated. She took the food out and sat at the kitchen table next to her fiancé and tried to look into her fiancé's eyes. Akane found that Ranma's normally beautiful blue eyes were cast down and stormy looking as though he was confused or something.

"Nothing…", Ranma said irritably as he stood up to leave and started to walk out of the kitchen quickly.

"Ranma!", Akane called out suddenly. Despite his better judgment Ranma found himself stopping in the entry way to the kitchen and looked back at the raven haired girl holding a pig in her lap. He scowled even deeper and glared at the four legged slab of bacon.

"Ranma", Akane said softly as she turned to face her fiancé and asked in a small voice, "Can we talk, please?"

"I'm going to go take a walk. I'll talk to you later if you want Akane, _without_ the pig", Ranma said in a voice as cold as ice. Without hesitating any more, he stormed out of the kitchen and headed outside stomping the entire way. He felt his anger get a hold of him as he fumed, '_Damn you Ryoga. I'm going to expose you once and for all. You've twisted our martial artist code of honor for the last time. Akane is my fiancée, not yours and you call yourself honorable. You claim I don't deserve Akane and think that you do? Pfft!_'

Akane just sat that at the kitchen table stunned at her fiancé's cold demeanor. She knew Ranma didn't particularly like the pig but it was so unlike him to just get up and leave because of the animal. Even worse, the pigtailed martial artist seemed quite adamant about not talking to her if P-chan was anywhere near by. Why did Ranma hate her pet pig so much? Was he mad at P-chan? Maybe Ranma was mad at her for spying earlier which she still hadn't apologized for. Maybe something else was bothering him?

The youngest Tendo knew she needed to talk to Ranma even more now. She had to clear the air and figure out what was bothering her fiancé so much. How were they ever going to have a real talk like Ranma had said they needed to have if they couldn't say but a few words to one another? How would they ever become the couple the raven haired girl so desperately wanted to be? Did Ranma want to be a couple? Akane had gotten the impression that he did based on the tail end of the conversation the black haired boy had had with his mother by the Koi pond. Since it was obvious P-chan was a source of friction between them, Akane knew she would have to stash the pig somewhere while she and Ranma talked.

* * *

><p>Ranma growled to himself and clenched his fists as he stalked towards the park trying to get his anger under control. He needed to do something in order to vent his frustration and was spoiling for a fight. While the pigtailed martial artist really wanted to pound on Ryoga, the pig wasn't exactly going to be accommodating to his needs for a punching bag at the moment. Ranma figured he could find some criminals to pound on. He would get to vent out his frustrations and help out the community at the same time.<p>

The pigtailed martial artist sat on a bench for a few moments when a thought occurred to him. He could double his chances finding some decent target practice if he was a girl. The people he wanted to pound on would be much more likely to attack a 150cm busty red-head than some guy that looked like a fighter. What better way to get into a fight than to find some seedy guys trying to molest a damsel is distress? Ranma thought about his current look and attire and shook his head. Even as a girl his Chinese shirt and baggy pants, along with his pigtail screamed 'tomboy' or 'fighter', not 'easy prey' that would get him the fight he wanted.

Ranma walked over to the fountain and splashed himself with the colder water, instantly transforming into his other half. In the park, the red haired girl knew there wasn't a whole lot she could do to make her look less tomboyish except for removing her pigtail perhaps. Ranma undid her braid and allowed her hair to flow over her back and front and smiled. It looked like fire which worked perfectly for her mood at the moment. Ranma took to the skies as she roof hopped across town towards a less reputable neighborhood grinning in anticipation of just beating the living crap out of someone. The red haired girl seriously doubted she would find anyone a worthy challenge but criminals were always halfway decent target practice and helped the community. Who knows, maybe she'd find some non-perverted rich guy that would reward her for rescuing him.

About fifteen minutes later Ranma heard a woman scream from somewhere very near by. A nasty sneer appeared on the red-head's lips as she jumped down to the alleyway below her and took in the situation. Ranma saw a young woman in front of her being held at knife point by a thug with a green Mohawk. Behind the woman were four other thugs, two of them holding the woman's arms painfully behind her. Ranma sensed there were three others approaching from behind.

"Help me please", the woman screamed. The woman in question looked to be about Nodoka's height and was wearing a dark maroon cocktail dress, black heels and had a coppery color mane of hair flowing behind her. Ranma's mind superimposed her own mother's imagine over the young girl in front of her and the red haired girl's aura exploded out of her as her inner rage took over.

Ranma lashed out with a Ki-blast that smashed into the knife wielding green haired freak and sent him flying into the far wall. The three thugs behind her charged forward which Ranma quickly dispatched with a vicious sweeping roundhouse kick that took all three of them out in one pass. She leapt backwards and grabbed two of the thugs and smashed their heads together like coconuts and then paused for a second. The two thugs holding the woman released her and slowly backed away thinking they might be shown some mercy for releasing their hostage. They were wrong. Ranma leapt at them and performed a split kick, sending both thugs through the walls bordering the alleyway. Mercifully for them, they were knocked unconscious before they went through the wall.

The Saotome heiress stood there panting for a few moments while she got her emotions under control. The woman she saved wasn't Nodoka Saotome, her mother, but rather an innocent victim. Ranma calmed herself down and slowly turned towards the coppery haired woman and asked, "Are you alright miss?"

The young woman, who had been clearly frightened facing down seven attackers just stared in awe at the petite buxom girl that had just wiped the floor with them in a few seconds. It took her a few moments to regain control of her faculties and she nodded slowly. When she tried to speak, nothing came out but a squeak.

"Do you have some place safe you can go? A friend's place or family?", Ranma asked gently as she walked up to the woman trying to calm her down.

"My husband's family lives nearby. My name is Sakura Ishkarashi. May I have your name miss? You did rescue me after all and I would like to repay your kindness", Sakura said as tears flowed down her cheeks from her blue green eyes. The young woman hugged herself and shivered while she looked around at the fallen bodies of the thugs that had accosted her.

"My name is Ranma Saotome. No repayment is necessary Sakura, I am glad I was able to help", Ranma said as she accepted the hand that Sakura offered her and shook it. The red haired martial artist looked at her 'damsel in distress' a little closer and noticed she didn't particularly look Japanese and she pondered briefly where Sakura might be from, considering her name.

"Please Ranma, I insist", Sakura said as she grabbed the smaller girl's hand again dragged Ranma down the street. The red haired girl stumbled for a moment and then walked side by side with her new companion. The youngest Saotome released the woman's hand only to have the frightened woman wrap her arm around Ranma's back as if she was holding on for dear life. The woman was probably still in shock and wanted a lifeline. A few minutes later the two young women walked up to a modest house in a slightly better neighborhood than where Sakura had been attacked.

Sakura rang the doorbell and sighed, "I hope they are still awake…"

Just then the door flew open and a man in his forties with tears in his eyes rushed forward and embraced the young coppery haired woman and said, "Oh Sakura, thank Kami-sama you are safe. Who is your new friend here?"

"This is Ranma Saotome", Sakura said as the man's eyes bulged out in surprise and recognition of the name, "She fought off a gang of thugs and rescued me on my way home. I owe my life to her martial arts skills as she defeated all seven of them in no time flat."

"Please", the older man said, "Do come in Ranma-sama, we are forever in your debt for returning our daughter-in-law to us. My name is Hikaru Hitoshi and this is my humble home. My wife Kasumi is in the kitchen and she will prepare anything you want if you are hungry." Ranma started at the name and then smiled slightly when she heard where their Kasumi was.

"I am not hungry Mr. Hitoshi but I thank you. As for rescuing your daughter-in-law, it's a martial artist's duty to help those that are in need of it, plus I enjoy beating up criminals", Ranma said as she idly cracked her knuckles for emphasis.

Kasumi Hitoshi walked out of the kitchen and smiled at their guest and said, "It's nice to meet a fellow martial artist though I seriously doubt I am anywhere near your level."

Hikaru, Kasumi, Sakura and Ranma all sat down around the dining room table and socialized for quite awhile before Ranma said that she had to be going. They offered her their place to stay for the evening but the red haired martial artist politely declined, saying she needed to get back home before her family worried about her. The Hitoshis and the Ishkarashi woman nodded in understanding and wished Ranma a good evening with hopes that they would see her again.

Ranma walked outside the home after saying good-bye but before she could go too much further a pair of arms snaked around her abdomen and she heard a soft voice purr, "Thank you again for saving me Ranma."

The red haired girl froze, unsure of what to do. Ranma felt a pair of lips on her neck and she turned around in order to protest. Sakura smiled and took the opportunity to plant a passionate kiss on her savior's lips. Ranma put her hands on Sakura's shoulders and pushed her off a little rougher than she had meant to but not rough enough for the woman to fall.

The red haired martial artist wiped her mouth with the back of her hand and asked angrily, "Sakura, why did you kiss me?"

Sakura looked at Ranma in shock and then lowered her eyes and said dejectedly, "I was thanking you for rescuing me. Do you not like me?"

"I barely know you and I already have a fiancée that I love", Ranma growled menacingly as she thought irritably, '_Damn it, just what I need, another Shampoo. I'm really sorry Akane. I had no idea she was going to try to seduce me. She said she had a husband when I rescued her._'

"Mmm, lucky girl", Sakura said as she licked her lips and turned around in order to head back into the house, "Please accept my apologies Ranma, I won't try to kiss you ever again. Will you forgive me?"

"I forgive you", Ranma said slowly as she turned around again and started walking away.

"Good night Ranma, I shall miss you tonight. I really thought we were going to spend the evening together. Shame", Sakura said sadly as she frowned in disappointment and thought, '_Ah well, I guess I'll have to find another girl to love after all. She was so strong and beautiful too. Her fiancée is a very lucky girl._'

"Good night Sakura", Ranma replied and then thought, '_…and goodbye. You're a nice woman and all, but I already have one I am in love with and you were acting a little bit too much like Shampoo there._'

When the door closed, the red haired girl breathed a sigh of relief even though she had already walked away. She took off in a random direction away from the Hitoshi household. She didn't really care where she was going but had to get away from everything that had happened recently.

Ranma seethed as she ran along the rooftops at full speed, '_I can't believe what has happened to me today. First I almost get married but the dojo gets destroyed. Then I get so angry at P-chan that I leave looking for a fight. I find a fight and the girl looks like my mother. The woman then takes me back to her family's house where she starts behaving like Shampoo and wants to sleep with me! We were both girls too so she's a lesbian but didn't she say she had a husband? Was she lying about that so that I would lower my guard? She wanted to cheat with me, someone she doesn't know. Oh Kami-sama, please don't let Akane find out about this. If any of them find out what happened tonight…_'

"As if I don't have enough to worry about already…", Ranma muttered to herself as she leapt across a particularly wide street to the building on the other side.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Akane finished her dinner and sighed as P-chan looked up at her with sad eyes. The raven haired girl ignored the look and just kept thinking about Ranma and how to progress her plan. Akane was pretty sure Ranma was interested in her based on some of the things he had said about her earlier. Maybe they would be able to talk when he came back home. Part of her figured that so long as she kept P-chan's company she would be unable to do so and that made her sad. If only Ranma would just explain why he hated the pig so much. It just seemed so irrational.<p>

Akane stood up, put her dishes away and then headed back to her room carrying P-chan with her. She dropped the pig off on her bed and sat down at her desk and pulled out some homework that someone had been kind enough to drop off while she was in China. The youngest Tendo pondered who would have been so thoughtful and mused, '_It was probably Yuka and Sayuri. Nabiki would have charged me._'

The raven haired girl sighed and thought, '_I get kidnapped, put in danger and nearly die and I still have to do homework? There should be a "life in peril" clause that exempts me from having to do mundane stuff like this during the weeks I was threatened._' Akane's face screwed up as she laughed slightly and thought, '_With all of the craziness around here, especially with Kuno at school itself, I'd never have to do homework at all if such a clause existed._'

Akane pulled out her math book and started to get to work on it. The youngest Tendo found concentrating on it to be rather difficult though. Her mind kept running in circles with things she wanted to talk to Ranma about and to clear the air between them. He wasn't around as far as she knew at the moment and he had been too angry for them to have a constructive conversation anyway. Akane sighed and told herself, '_He's just going for a walk to clear his head. He'll be back in awhile and we can try to talk then. In the meantime, let's not waste this time and get some of this really boring homework out of the way._'

P-chan looked over at his love interest and mentally sighed as he thought, '_There she goes staring off into space again, no doubt thinking about him. That honorless bastard that ran off to do who knows what with those other girls. He really doesn't deserve her._' An idea started to form in his little piggy mind that would be perfect for his ultimate revenge. He wouldn't kill Ranma, not that he could anyway, but his idea might be the next best thing. Ryoga started to laugh evilly within the confines of his mind as he continued to think about how to best go about carrying out his plan.

A couple of hours later, Akane woke up with her head on her desk and her math homework under face slightly wet. She lifted her head and wiped a little drool away from her mouth and yawned. Math never did hold her interest very well plus her day had been kind of long and tiring. Akane looked at her alarm clock and frowned as it said 11:45pm. Ranma had probably come home ready to talk and here she had been sleeping! The youngest Tendo left her room and walked down the hall in order to check the guest room. When she peeked inside she was surprised to see that Ranma was no where to be found. Puzzled, Akane decided to check the roof to see if he was there instead.

A few minutes later, the raven haired girl was on the roof but there was no one there either. Disappointed, the youngest Tendo sat down on the roof and stared out across the front yard which included the garden and the Koi pond and thought sadly, '_Where are you Ranma? I'm here for our talk, but where are you?_'

It occurred to the raven haired girl that they had never agreed to a specific time to meet, it was just "later". Still, Akane felt that Ranma should have been back home by then and started to grow a little concerned that he would be out after midnight. Half an hour later and cold, Akane decided to go back to her room. She could just talk to Ranma the next day since the jerk had decided to stay out all night without so much of a phone call to let people know he was alright. Akane turned out her light and crawled into bed and closed her eyes. She sighed heavily and thought, '_Please Kami-sama, look after Ranma and let him come home safely._'

* * *

><p>After wandering around Nerima for a little while and beating up a few more criminals, Ranma decided she had had enough action for the day and went to the nearby park. She sat on the edge of the fountain not concerned in the least about getting splashed and let her thoughts wander over the events of the day and what her feelings were about a certain raven haired tomboy she lived with. Ranma figured it was getting close to midnight and figured it would be late enough to have a private talk with her fiancée, assuming of course Akane was still awake. If not, the red haired girl figured they could talk the following evening without too much difficulty. Ranma stood up and headed back towards the Tendo household in a leisurely pace as she wasn't really in a hurry to get back despite how tired she felt. She landed on the porch effortlessly and walked into the house in order to fix herself some calming herbal tea.<p>

Ranma walked into the kitchen and splashed her face with some cold water in an effort to clear some of the blurriness that had taken hold of her. The red haired girl looked at the clock and sighed, it was just after midnight. Ranma put a kettle on and looked through Kasumi's assorted collection of teas for something that would be good for headaches and sleeplessness. The red haired girl began humming to herself some tune she recalled hearing on the radio before the whole Jusendo disaster when Nerima Wrecking Crew curse victims, Shampoo, Moouse, Ryoga, Genma and herself had gone to China to recover the map. Akane had been kidnapped around that time too and so the mission had become even more important to her.

Ranma picked out a suitable tea for her purposes and sat down at the kitchen table while she waited for the kettle to be ready. The red haired girl was just so tired of everything going wrong all of the time in her life and just wanted to disappear for awhile. She knew there was no way she could just leave though, not after everything the Tendos had done for her. The dojo was wrecked because of her enemies and suitors and it just wouldn't be right to leave without helping to fix it up. The youngest Saotome decided she would work on restoring the dojo in the morning and hoped there were sufficient supplies. The training hall got damaged on a fairly regular basis thanks to her living at the Tendo estate.

'_I wonder if I could get my lazy good for nothing Pops to help me rebuild it. He's been mooching off the Tendos for two years too. Maybe if Kasumi refused to feed him he would help_', Ranma smirked to herself as the kettle began to whistle. The red haired girl stood up and mixed her tea and smiled softly, almost Kasumish as she stood there looking out the window. She breathed in the aroma slowly and nearly dropped it when a voice startled her.

"Ranma!", Kasumi said in surprise from the doorway.

The girl in question jumped slightly and turned around with her free hand over her heart as she said between gasps of air, "Kasumi, you startled me."

"That's usually a tough thing to do to you Ranma", Kasumi said teasingly and smiled warmly.

Ranma nodded and said, "I made some tea if you want some. What are you doing up though?"

"I would love some, thank you. I imagine I am up for the same reason you are. I can't seem to fall asleep as my mind won't quiet down thinking about everything that happened earlier", Kasumi said sadly. "You know I had such high hopes for you two despite how our fathers went about things. You're mother and I spent many hours decorating the dojo and cooking the food for the reception."

Ranma nodded slowly and looking down into her tea cup. She raised her head after a few moments and said, "I am sorry Kasumi."

Kasumi walked over and embraced her future brother/sister-in-law and said, "I don't think there was any way for you to prevent what happened Ranma, so please don't blame yourself. You were ambushed and put into a tuxedo without any say in it at all. Your other fiancées crashed the party, threw the bombs and destroyed the dojo. I think I really need to have a chat with Nabiki about the guest list, inviting all those antagonistic characters was rather foolish of her. What did she think would happen?"

"Maybe she wanted the wedding to fail on purpose. Maybe she's just too greedy and was only seeing the wedding presents although since it was Akane's and mine wedding, she wouldn't get them anyway", Ranma offered weakly. "Anyways, can we talk about something else please?"

Kasumi released the younger girl and sat back down at the kitchen table and said, "Of course. Is there anything in particular you wish to talk about?"

"I wanted to offer my assistance in repairing the dojo tomorrow and I was wondering if you could refuse to feed my father until he agrees to help. Not that I want to work side by side with the old man but with more people helping it would go quicker. I know he won't unless he is _encouraged_", Ranma said as her blue eyes danced with mirth and a small smile spread across her lips.

Kasumi tapped her chin thoughtfully and nodded as she said, "I'll talk to your mother about it tomorrow morning when she wakes up and helps me with breakfast. I think for now though I'll wish you a good night Ranma. I think I can feel this tea starting to work so I'm going to go to bed now."

"Good night Kasumi, thank you for talking with me", Ranma replied and waved to the brown haired girl as the elder Tendo waved upon exiting the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Ranma exited the house through the living room doors and leapt onto the roof and sat down in one of her favorite places to think. The red haired girl looked out across the Koi pond and into the clear night sky and sighed wondering if her fiancée would join her that evening. She laid down on the roof and watched as a shooting star flew across the clear night sky leaving a brilliant trail of space dust that glittered across the heavens.<p>

The youngest Saotome closed her eyes for a moment and said, "I wish Akane and I would get along better and that we could truly show how much we care for one another." The red haired girl thought, '_I know I am not ready to be married to her, not with the way I froze up earlier when she asked me if I loved her. Do I love her though? I know I like her a lot and all. I hope we can come together and become a couple. I'd rather not fight with her all the time like before. I've fought enough for ten lifetimes by now and I really hope I never have to face anything like Saffron ever again._

Ranma sighed as she mused, '_It is so peaceful up here at night. Why can't my life be this way more often? Instead I have two fiancées and one delusional gymnast that thinks she's a fiancée always chasing and throwing themselves at me. How do I get rid of them? I've hinted at them before that I only considered them friends right? I was getting married today, that should have been a pretty big clue that I am not interested in them that way. I doubt they'll leave me alone though so I may have to be a little more insistent._' Ranma cracked her knuckles idly.

Since it wasn't raining, nor did it look like it would in the remaining hours of the night, Ranma decided to camp out on top of the roof. She thought about her situation some more but in the end, it didn't take long for the little red head to fall asleep. Upon entering dreamland however, maybe the red haired girl would have been better off staying awake.

_A certain black haired pigtail martial artist found himself surrounded by fire on all sides. Ranma could feel the heat beginning to blister his skin and wondered how he could possibly survive the raging inferno the birdman somewhere below him was causing. He felt around the front of his chest to make sure Akane's doll was still there and to his horror he couldn't feel her. He began screaming her name hoping in vain that somehow she could respond to him in some way. The ice that was surrounding him had long since melted and the flames licked at his tiring body hungrily. He felt his skin burning and became nauseous at the smell of burnt flesh but all this didn't matter anymore. Ranma had failed to protect his one true love. He had failed her and his own life meant absolutely nothing without her. Ranma closed his eyes and waited for his inevitable death as Saffron laughed arrogantly below him in a sea of fire._

"AKANE!", Ranma snapped awake only to find herself laying on the Tendo roof as she screamed her fiancée's name in agony and torment. Her high pitched soprano voice echoed across Nerima and a few seconds later the lights from within the Tendo household as well as the neighbors' turned on. Ranma could hear the storming of feet as the household was rudely awakened by a sound they hoped never to hear again.

Inside the house, the three Tendo girls, both elder Saotomes and Soun all ran to the guest room fully expecting to see the red-headed Ranma curled up in a little ball or something but instead all they found was an empty room. They all looked at each other in confusion for a few moments until Akane suggested that Ranma was on the roof. The sound seemed to have come from outside and the roof was one of Ranma's favorite thinking places.

Akane frowned internally and headed outside as she sighed and thought, '_Well, at least he's safely home the baka! No time for that Akane, that sounded like a screamed of the damned so it's probably not some normal nightmare about cats. Jusendo… I'm on my way Ranma. I will comfort you now, but I want you to talk to me tomorrow alright?_'

The raven haired girl scurried up onto the roof and found, sure enough, a female Ranma curled up into a little ball shaking violently. The red haired girl was sobbing incoherently as tears cascaded down her cheeks from her piercing blue eyes. The youngest Tendo daughter heard her fiancé muttering something to herself and she smiled, despite the pain that her red headed friend was in currently.

"Akane, you can't leave me like this. Not before I have had a chance to tell you…", Ranma sobbed to herself, not really aware of her surroundings or the fact that the girl she was about to confess about was only a few meters away. Akane ran towards her fiancé and knelt down in order to wrap her arms around the smaller girl. The youngest Tendo felt the red-head stiffen for a few moments before relaxing slightly as Ranma felt a familiar pair of arms wrapped around her.

"It's alright Ranma", Akane soothed quietly while rubbing the smaller girl's back as Ranma relaxed slightly in fiancée's embrace. Akane continued talking in low, soothing tones and said gently, "I am here. I didn't die in Jusendo and neither did you. You defeated Saffron and saved me as well as a lot of innocent people. It's okay Ranma shhhhh."

Ranma nodded slowly and her wailing abated somewhat but she remained curled up with tears flowing out of her eyes that drenched Akane's shoulder through her pajama top. "I dreamt…", Ranma started brokenly.

"Shhhh Ranma", Akane interrupted gently, "It was just a nightmare, don't think about it anymore and relax. I'm not a doll any longer. Can you feel my arms around you and hear the sound of my voice?" Ranma nodded as Akane continued, "I am here for you and I am not going anywhere Ranma", Akane said compassionately and continued to hold her fiancé as Ranma's tears slowed from a monsoon to a calm afternoon rainstorm in intensity.

"Thank you Akane", Ranma choked out slowly in between sobs as she wrapped her arms around the raven haired girl. The red haired girl enjoyed the other her fiancée's warmth in the evening chill. They held onto one another for a few minutes in silence as Ranma began to calm down and her tears slowed and turned into sniffles. Akane continued soothing the distraught red-head and Ranma relaxed in her fiancée's arms even more.

"Are you done waking up the neighborhood now Saotome? Some of us would like to sleep you know", Nabiki said sarcastically with a hint of a menacing tone in her ice cold voice.

"Nabiki!", Kasumi chided while Nodoka glared at the middle Tendo daughter in annoyance.

"My daughter has a horrifying nightmare and all you care about is how it inconveniences your sleep a little?", Nodoka said, her own voice cold.

Nabiki gulped softly even though the Saotome Matriarch's katana was no where to be seen, for now.

"Are you two alright up there?", Nodoka asked worriedly from the Tendo's yard as she watched the two girls hug one another. It looked more like her current daughter was clinging to Akane like a life preserver in a deep dark ocean rather than a hug that spoke of love. Consider her daughter's mental state at the moment Nodoka was not all that surprised. The Saotome Matriarch examined Akane's hug and saw the warmth that was clearly visible. It was an embrace born of love and comfort in order to soothe the horrible images Ranma had been subjected to. The older woman felt her the warmth of her heart spread through her body as she clasped her hands together watching the girls hug.

Nodoka looked thoughtful as she mused, '_It doesn't matter that my son is my daughter at the moment if it doesn't matter to Akane. Once those other girls are dealt with, I don't think we'll really have to wait that long for Akane and Ranma to get married. If this display is any indication of their true feelings of concern and love for one another that is. Those other foolish girls that destroyed my house will need to be dealt with in short order somehow._'

The two girls on the roof continued to hold onto one another for awhile longer before Akane broke the embrace. The raven haired girl looked into her fiancé's stormy blue eyes as her own brown eyes shimmered with unshed tears. Ranma looked so frightened and her eyes shouted that she had had a troubling nightmare as if the scream of the damned wasn't clue enough. The raven haired girl gently cupped Ranma's face and dried the red-head's tears with her thumbs as she smiled at her fiancé.

The youngest Tendo was deeply concerned and asked softly, "Are you alright now Ranma?"

Ranma nodded weakly and offered her friend a small smile as she quietly replied, "I'm sorry I woke you, but yeah, I think I am okay now. Thank you for finding and comforting me. You are a great friend Akane and I'm sorry I have never really told you that before."

Akane looked down and tried to hide her faint blush as she replied softly, "You're welcome Ranma."

The youngest Tendo daughter then turned halfway between Ranma and the gathered family members down below. Akane projected her voice and said louder, "We're fine Auntie. I think Ranma had a horrible nightmare concerning Jusendo but she will be okay now."

The group down below all nodded and headed back into the house. They all knew about Ranma's nightmares by now and could only hope that he didn't suffer too many more in the future. It would wreck their sleep patterns too much if he screamed like a banshee every night. The Tendos-Saotomes shuddered as they recalled the blood curdling scream that had shattered the evening calm. Genma certainly understood since he had been there at Jusendo. The overweight martial artist knew that Ranma's nightmares regarding Saffron and Akane's death were probably only just beginning.

"Akane?", Ranma said hesitantly, bringing her fiancée's attention back to her.

"Yes?", Akane replied warmly, wondering what the red haired girl in front of her was going to say. Given the lateness of the hour, Akane hoped it wasn't an in depth conversation but she certainly wouldn't turn down a declaration of love. They still needed to have a major talk to clear the air between them though but it would be better if it wasn't at two in the morning.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here for the talk you wanted to have earlier", Ranma said softly, "I just couldn't deal with P-chan at the time and I wound up staying out longer than I thought I would."

"It's okay Ranma", Akane said as she hugged her fiancé again, "I fell asleep doing homework not long after you left. Why were you so upset before?"

"Um, I'd rather not talk about that right now Akane", Ranma replied slowly before her voice turned dreamy and she continued, "Even though I am really enjoying this hug right now, it's getting late and I've kept you up long enough. We can talk tomorrow night alright?" '_Akane doesn't seem to mind hugging my girl form. I wonder if she would be okay if we kissed this way…_'

Akane felt her fiancé tighten her embrace a little and smiled to herself. She was enjoying the hug as well but wasn't quite sure she wanted to voice her opinion on the matter at the moment. The raven haired girl also wondered what it would be like to kiss Ranma's girl form but banished that thought after thinking about it for a few seconds. Before she banished it though, she felt a weird feeling stir within her and suddenly her mouth felt dry. What did this mean? Was she truly attracted to Ranma's girl form? Was it the fact that it was Ranma or was it because girl Ranma was a very sexy and beautiful red-head that she wanted to…

The raven haired girl held onto to her fiancé a few more moments before reluctantly releasing her. Akane noticed the frown that crossed Ranma's face and knew that she had enjoyed the hug as well on a level more than what her words had said. The youngest Tendo smiled at her red haired companion and stood up as she offered a hand in order to help the smaller girl stand up. Akane knew that Ranma liked her at least for the red-head never would have accepted or felt comfortable with a hug from Shampoo, Kodachi or even Ukyo.

Ranma took the youngest Tendo's hand and stood up and said, "Thank you Akane. You were such a huge help to me tonight."

"You're welcome Ranma", Akane said warmly, "We should go to bed though, the morning sun will be here too soon as it is."

The two girls climbed in through Akane's open window and much to Ranma's relief, she didn't see P-chan anywhere in Akane's room. The red-head turned around and embraced her fiancée one last time, relishing in the warmth in her heart for the other girl before breaking it off and whispering, "Good night Akane."

"Good night Ranma", Akane replied. As Ranma turned to walk out of the room, the youngest Tendo decided for her own amusement to gently slap the red-head on the ass.

Ranma turned around in shock only to find a giggling raven haired girl turning bright red trying to cover her mouth with the offending hand. The Saotome heiress started laughing too and shook her head as she left the room. The red haired girl laid down on her futon and closed her eyes to sleep, feeling a little drained from the long day as she grinned happily.

The youngest Saotome thought to herself, '_I wonder if Akane loves me. If that playful slap is any indication of her true feelings, I think she really likes me anyway. What's even better is she doesn't seem to have a problem with my girl side. In fact, if those hugs we shared earlier are any indication, she actually seems to be more comfortable with me this way._'

Akane laid in her bed and thought happily to herself, '_I love you Ranma. I hope that you tell me that you love me tomorrow night. Isn't it time we stop lying to ourselves and become a real couple? Isn't it time we admit to one another the truth?_'

'_Love will find a way, daughter…_'

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><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it. _


	2. Declaration of War

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

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><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Chapter One

_Declaration of War _

_._

_._

Sunday morning arrived unceremoniously to find the Tendo household in quiet slumber. Akane awoke slowly and yawned as she stretched lazily in her bed. The raven haired girl blinked her eyes slowly and proceeded to change into a pair of orange running shorts and a red tank top. She knew that the cool morning air would snap her awake in short order. The youngest Tendo left the compound and decided to take a different route than she normally did since she didn't have anywhere she needed to be until early that afternoon for her ice cream social.

Akane picked up her pace and breathed in the crisp morning air as she felt the rhythm of her pounding feet tuning to the beating of her heart. She looked around the clear blue sky and felt the warmth of the sun as it crept over the horizon basking Nerima in its glow. Akane loved mornings like this, everything was so calm and peaceful just like before Ranma had come into her life and brought all of his chaos with him. Despite all of the problems and chaos the youngest Tendo daughter wouldn't trade her time for anything. For the first time in her life she was actually in love and the chaos made things interesting. Sometimes it was a bit much like the whole Jusendo adventure and being turned into a doll though.

The raven haired girl turned into a nearby park and sat on one of the swings and smiled. Akane pushed off the ground and started to swing, like she had done so many years ago when her mother was still alive. For awhile afterward, Kasumi would bring her to the park and push her on the swings as well. The youngest Tendo smiled at the pleasant memories for a few moments until the inevitable sadness crept back into her heart. It hurt Akane very badly to know that her mother, Kumiko Tendo, would never see her baby girl walk down the aisle and get married. The raven haired girl's thoughts dwelled on what she could remember of her mother and was saddened when she realized just how few memories there were. Her brown eyes shimmered and a few tear drops fell down her cheeks before she angrily wiped them away with the back of her hand.

"I miss you mother", Akane said to herself sadly as she more or less sat there on the swing instead of swinging. "Auntie Saotome is close, but no one could truly replace you. I wish I could remember more about you and that you were here with me now. I love you mother."

After sitting there for awhile Akane began swinging and started smiling again when she felt the air ruffling her hair. The raven haired girl's mind drifted back a couple of years to a time when her hair was longer and how it felt when the wind blew it around. The youngest Tendo decided she would grow her hair out again. This time she would do it for herself, not to try to impress Dr. Tofu or even Ranma. Akane remembered her fiancé saying that shorter hair suited her better but the youngest Tendo sometimes wondered if he was just trying to be nice and it wasn't a true reflection of how he felt. The raven haired girl sighed and decided she would go see Cologne about a possible hair tonic even though she didn't trust the Amazons. If anyone would have such a formula though it would be them.

"When they ask if I am doing it to be more appealing to Ranma I can simply tell them what he told me", Akane said softly to herself as she continued to swing like a little kid. "I can tell them that he thought I looked better with shorter hair. They might think I am giving up on him or at least not going to let his opinion change me and I am doing this because I want to."

Akane jumped off the swing at the peak of it's arc, flipped in the air twice and landed effortlessly so that she could continue her jog. A couple people nearby clapped at the display and Akane blushed slightly before bowing and running off. The raven haired girl resumed her jog at a more leisurely pace this time. The raven haired girl had already planned to extend her morning run so she changed course and headed for the Nekohanten, thinking Cologne might be awake this early. Akane really didn't want to deal with Shampoo but it couldn't be helped, she just hoped they would be in an amicable mood despite what they had done the previous day.

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><p>A half hour later, Akane slowed to a stop outside the Nekohanten and tried the door. It was locked which didn't really surprise her so she knocked on the door and waited. A minute later the door opened and Cologne peered out surprised at having a visitor, let alone who it was.<p>

"Akane?", Cologne asked curiously, "We are not open yet as it is still fairly early."

"I know", Akane said demurely, "I'm not here for ramen. I wanted to talk to you about something real quick. I thought you might be awake and not overly busy yet."

"Indeed? Well come on in then child and tell me what's on your mind", Cologne said as she backed away from the entrance and gestured to one of the tables inside. Akane followed the older woman over to the table and sat down and placed her hands in her lap.

"Elder Cologne", Akane started as the other woman raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the formal and polite address, "I have come to ask you if you have, or if you can acquire, a hair formula that works on women. I wish to grow my hair longer but I don't really want to wait the six months doing it normally would require."

Cologne chuckled and said, "Did son-in-law put you up to this? I've noticed that out of the four of you, only you have short hair."

"Actually Elder", Akane said with a brilliant smile on her face, "this has nothing to do with Ranma. Before he arrived in Nerima I had long hair that I had been growing out for Dr. Tofu. I've long since gotten over him but I found myself missing my longer hair this morning and wished I could have it back. I want the longer hair for me, and me alone. To be perfectly honest with you, Ranma said he liked my hair better shorter. I don't know if he was actually being sincere though. He may have been trying to be diplomatic because it had recently been cut in a fight he and Ryoga were having."

"Diplomatic? Him?", Cologne asked incredulously and burst out in raspy laughter. Akane joined in a few moments later and the two women wiped a couple of tears from their eyes. "Alright Akane, I'll take a look around here and see what I can do for you but I think it would only be fair if I ask you for something in return."

"Of course Elder", Akane said in a friendly manner, "How much do you want for your efforts?"

Cologne chuckled and shook her head, "No child. I don't want money."

"I figured as much", the raven haired girl frown and said slowly, "What do you want?"

"I want you to break off your engagement to Son-in-law", Cologne replied with a toothy grin figuring there was no way the Tendo girl would do such a thing. The elder had known for quite some time that Ranma loved the tomboy and that Akane loved the pigtailed martial artist. She figured there was no way the youngest Tendo would ever agree to such terms but wanted to start high in her negotiations. If the raven haired girl was truly doing this for herself and didn't care about Ranma anymore despite the previous day, then letting him go would be easy for her.

"I-I can't do that", Akane stammered and shook her head violently and said, "No. I won't do that. Can't I offer you something else for the hair formula? Perhaps I could work as a waitress?"

Cologne sighed but then laughed as she said, "I need my dishes to remain in one piece young one."

Akane lowered her head dejectedly and sighed, "I know I can be clumsy sometimes but I can improve if given half a chance. Since the hair formula is for me and has nothing to do with Ranma, is there anything I can do that doesn't involve him to get it?"

The elder woman looked at the raven haired girl in front of her and sighed as she rubbed her chin with her hand thinking. Finally she said, "I don't know, after all he is the only reason I am still in this country and you are very close to him. Will you allow Shampoo a date with Ranma?"

"I can't control what he does. If he doesn't want to date your great granddaughter that's on him, not because of anything I've ever said", Akane replied and sighed heavily. "I think Ranma's unwillingness to do anything with Shampoo is based on how uncomfortable she makes him."

"How does she make him uncomfortable? She is a very strong Amazon warrior, beautiful as they come and shows affection easily. How could Ranma not like her unless he was gay?", Cologne said, confused how a normal male could be so turned off by the lavender haired girl who seemed to be idolized by so much of the male population.

"I don't think Ranma is gay, but you just answered your own question", Akane replied seriously. "Ranma, as you know is fairly socially inept and awkward at the best of times and even worse around girls. He gets very uncomfortable with physical contact and your great granddaughter frequently glomps him which makes him feel like he has to fight her off constantly. There is also the ruthlessness in which she pursues him. Despite him telling her he isn't interested in her that way she persists and he views her as a nuisance. There are other things working against her too in that she's cursed to turn into a cat which he is deathly afraid of thanks to his idiot father's attempt at teaching him the Neko-ken. There are the many potions and charms she's tried to seduce him with. If all of that isn't bad enough, how about the Kiss of Death? I'd say any chances of Ranma willingly picking Shampoo were pretty much ruined a long time ago."

"What about you?", Cologne asked, "Why did he pick you after all of the physical abuse you've heaped on him over the last year or so?"

"Technically he hasn't chosen anyone…", Akane said started.

"Pfft", Cologne interrupted and snorted, "Are you seriously trying to tell me that wedding yesterday meant nothing to him, or to you?"

"I don't know Elder. My father and his ambushed him and put him in a tuxedo. They blackmailed me by saying that Ranma wouldn't get the cure the Jusenkyo guide had sent as thanks unless I agreed to marry him. If it were truly up to Ranma and me, we would get married if we loved one another enough to do so, not because of family honor or bribery", Akane replied as she locked gazes with the elder Amazon.

"Interesting", Cologne said slowly as she tapped her withered chin with a finger, "So Son-in-law might not choose you, and you might not choose him.

"He'll never choose your great granddaughter Cologne", Akane said heatedly, "for reasons I have already explained!"

Cologne chuckled malevolently, "By Amazon law, he has no choice. He is Shampoo's husband."

"Your laws", Akane growled as her battle aura exploded around her, "have no legal status here in Japan. They are completely meaningless. You are the outsiders here. I wonder Elder, just how would you feel being on the receiving end of your own laws? How about we place a Kiss of Death on you and your precious bimbo of a granddaughter and hunt you to the ends of the Earth. Better yet, how about if the Japanese military scatters your village to the four winds for declaring war on us! Your own government probably wouldn't care about you enough to raise a finger either after all you are a menace to everyone around you!"

"Are you through ranting nonsense girl?", Cologne said sharply and then continued, "Good. What you speak of will never come to pass and you are about two hundred years too young to make me even break a sweat, let alone threaten me. Now, before you make me truly angry, I suggest you leave before I decide to destroy you. Go back to breaking bricks and playing martial arts, you will never amount to anything. Frankly I don't know what Ranma sees in you. You're almost worthless as a martial artist and you are completely worthless as a woman compared to Shampoo who is perfect for him and will bare him many healthy children. What can you do?"

"That's all you care about it isn't it. Ranma's so-called value at making babies. You don't care about his feelings or his desires just like Shampoo, Ukyo and Kodachi", Akane said as her brown eyes released some of the tears they had been holding.

"You're one to talk caring about his feelings, Miss hit him for saying one little thing Tendo", Cologne shot back sarcastically.

"I do care about his feelings Elder", Akane said tiredly without a trace of anger in her voice. "I wish I had been more understanding and had stayed my hand a lot more often. It is one of the many mistakes I have made dealing with him. Haven't you noticed by now that I do not chase after Ranma like Shampoo, Ukyo and Kodachi do? I am allowing him to make up his own mind on who he wants to be with. If he wants me, that's fantastic. If he doesn't it'll hurt like hell but I will not force him like you are trying to do. Honestly, I am really surprised he is still here in Nerima with all of the crap everyone, including me, has heaped upon him. I don't deserve him anymore than the rest of you, Ukyo or Kodachi do."

Cologne looked at the younger woman in front of her and pondered the youngest Tendo's words for a few minutes. She could easily do an Amazon mind control trick and have her break up with Ranma but in the end that wouldn't really accomplish her true goal. Odds were that if Akane destroyed Ranma's heart he would just run away forever with nothing holding him in Nerima anymore. That would actually be counter productive since she didn't personally care if Ranma married Shampoo or not, she just wanted his genetics in the tribe. Cologne's smile twisted devilishly and she smirked as an idea appeared in her ancient mind.

"I have an idea Akane", Cologne said slyly, her earlier anger forgotten. "If you can give me what I want, I can give you something that you'll like in addition to the tonic to grow your hair."

A little while later Akane walked out of the Nekohanten looking extremely pale. Cologne had come up with a solution that would help a lot of people but the raven haired girl was unsure of the cost. The youngest Tendo felt sick to her stomach, the only one that should have Ranma's children was her once they were married and out of school. Akane clenched her fists and seethed, '_All of that just to get some hair tonic? No way. There is no way Ranma is going to provide that bitch Shampoo with a child just so I can grow my hair faster. Yeah, Cologne mentioned that they would leave once her great granddaughter was impregnated but I can't trust them. She might only care about his sperm but Shampoo probably won't settle for anything less than him. Ranma is mine damn it, MINE!_'

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><p>"Akane", a male voice said from behind her.<p>

The girl in question stopped and slowly turned around and saw that Mousse was actually talking to her instead of a lamp post and asked, "Yes?"

"I can get you the hair tonic without you having to go through the elder's scheme", Mousse said as he led her away from the restaurant so there would be less chance for them to be overheard.

"You are willing to help me?", Akane asked warily, not sure how to take the offer of assistance.

"Of course", Mousse said sincerely, "You and I have a common goal Akane. We should be allies despite my misguided attempt at kidnapping you when we first met. I humbly apologize for that by the way. At the time I wanted Saotome out of the way by any means possible. However, it has become obvious to me that you do not wish for Ranma to have anything to with Shampoo and neither do I. I most certainly do not wish to see Shampoo carry that man's child and neither do you."

"Thank you Mousse", Akane said happily as she embraced the white robed male briefly.

"Now now Akane, none of that", Mousse reprimanded gently, "We don't need a certain pigtailed boy or girl to get jealous now do we?"

"No", Akane said softly. "Mousse, do you mind if I ask you a personal question?"

"That depends on what it is", Mousse said sarcastically with a smile on his face and a twinkle in his eye.

"Why do you pursue Shampoo?", Akane asked sincerely, "She's blindly chasing after Ranma who wants nothing to do with her and you chase after her. She shows you nothing but contempt and distain just as Ranma shows Shampoo nothing but disgust and loathing and yet you persist as she does? Why? Why not find a girl who will actually give you the attention and respect you deserve?"

"I am an Amazon male, I don't really deserve respect from warriors", Mousse said dejectedly.

"You are a master of hidden weapons and a warrior yourself", Akane said earnestly, "Free yourself from the shackles of tyranny that plague you. Shampoo and Cologne really don't deserve your loyalty after the way they have treated you. There are many women here in Japan that would love to have you as a boyfriend. You're handsome, dedicated to the one you love, very friendly and helpful. Once you start wearing your glasses more often or get your eyes fixed so you aren't running into lamp posts and the like all the time you would be quite the catch."

"I will consider your words Miss Tendo, thank you", Mousse said solemnly. "I'll see what I can do about getting you that hair formula for your kindness. It would be my honor if you would consider me a friend. For now though I must depart and prepare to open the restaurant."

"Thank you Mousse. I would be happy if I could count you as one of my friends", Akane said with her brilliant sunny smile plastered on her face as she waved goodbye.

Mousse headed back towards the Nekohanten and paused to look at Akane one last time as her words echoed in his mind. Why did he 'love' the completely flawed Shampoo? What was so great about her considering how many nefarious schemes he had seen her cook up. The destruction of the Tendo dojo was just the latest in a series of homicidal actions the spoiled brat, that thought she could do whatever she wanted without repercussions, had cooked up. The black haired man continued into the restaurant lost in thought, his so-called vision of loveliness suddenly growing warts and wrinkles all over, and no, he wasn't looking at Cologne at the moment.

Akane sighed as she watched Mousse walk back into the Nekohanten. She really hoped he would be able to help her with the hair formula. No amount of tonic would ever be worth what Cologne wanted for it. The youngest Tendo would wait the six months before giving into that "suggestion".

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><p>Akane felt her stomach complaining at the lack of sustenance so she decided to head home. As she approached, the raven haired girl could make out various noises coming from the dojo and she wondered what was going on.<p>

"I'm home", Akane announced as she stepped into the house and headed for the kitchen.

"Oh hello Akane, did you enjoy your morning run?", Kasumi asked as she was putting away some dishes.

"Yes I did. Kasumi, what is all that racket outside?", Akane asked as she picked out a tea blend that would help her with her growing headache. Another particularly loud bang occurred and the youngest Tendo winced in pain.

"Ranma, Mr. Saotome and Father are attempting to repair the dojo so we don't have to hire as much outside help", Kasumi replied. "Go ahead and take your bath Akane if you want, I'll make you some breakfast."

"Really? Mr. Saotome and Daddy are actually doing something around here that doesn't involve getting drunk or the Shogi board?", Akane asked sarcastically. Kasumi frowned and nodded.

Nabiki chuckled to herself and said, "She isn't wrong Kasumi. What do either of those men really do around here, even if one of them is our father?"

"I know", Kasumi said sadly, "Anyways, I left you some breakfast in the refrigerator since you weren't here earlier. I think I am going to go lay down for a little while."

Akane and Nabiki looked at one another with raised eyebrows as the youngest Tendo asked in concern, "Are you alright Kasumi?"

"I'll be fine little sister, thank you. I'm just feeling tired between waking up last night because of Ranma's nightmare and then everything going on this morning", Kasumi replied as she started to head up the stairs in order to return to her bedroom.

"Oh, Kasumi, will you hang on for a second please", Akane called out to her elder sister and then turned towards her older sister and said, "Nabiki, are you going to be around for awhile today?"

"I can be sis, what's up?", Nabiki asked, curiosity peaked as Akane usually never inquired to what she was up to.

"I need to talk to both of you", Akane said. "It would be better if we did it sooner than later."

Nabiki raised an eyebrow and gave her younger sister a questioning look and said, "Indeed. Well, I'll be up in my room for the foreseeable future so why don't you go ahead and eat quickly and then come on up?"

"Alright", Kasumi nodded and replied slowly, "I guess I can take a nap after our talk."

Akane heated up her left over breakfast and ate quickly. Kasumi and Nabiki headed upstairs to the middle Tendo's room curious as to what their younger sister wanted to talk to them about. Kasumi figured it had to do with the wedding as surely she wouldn't want to talk about her feelings or anything where Nabiki could overhear it.

Nabiki puzzled over what her tomboy sister could possibly want to talk to _her_ about given her blackmailing and information brokering tendencies. '_Although, I am graduating in six weeks and won't be maintaining my empire at Furinkan anymore. It's time to start dismantling it I suppose but perhaps my little sister will give me one last thing to work with._'

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Akane walked upstairs and entered Nabiki's room. Kasumi sat on the be next to her sister which left either the floor or the desk for the youngest Tendo to sit at. The raven haired girl sat down at the desk and looked at her older sisters, thinking for a moment how she wanted to start their talk.<p>

"First of all Nabiki", Akane said neutrally, "why did you invite all of those lunatics to my wedding only to destroy it? Was it just for the money and you didn't care about us or was it something else?"

Nabiki raised an eyebrow and asked incredulously, "Did you really want to get married?"

Akane looked down at her feet and said hesitantly, "No, not really. We're not ready for that. Did you know that already and try to protect me or were you just being your normal greedy and chaos instigating self?"

"Is this really what you wanted to talk to me about?", Nabiki asked, her voice edged in steel. The middle Tendo felt slightly insulted that her sister thought she caused chaos on purpose even if it did help bring in money. Chaos was good and all and it followed Ranma everywhere but it also created unexpected expenses.

"I have other things I want to talk to you two about, but I want to know this too", Akane replied, irritation replacing her hesitation.

Nabiki sighed and walked over and knelt before her little sister taking her hands into her own and said, "I didn't destroy your wedding to hurt you Akane. I knew that Father essentially blackmailed you into agreeing to the wedding in order to help Ranma. I know you care for him but I really don't think the two of you are ready for that step. Have you two gone out any dates or anything? Can you really imagine your life with him?"

Akane sighed and said, "I love him Nabiki…"

"Yes, but love does not mean ready for marriage", Nabiki said softly, "You aren't even eighteen yet Akane. When you marry, you should marry because you are sure you love the guy and that he loves you. It would help if he didn't have a bunch of other girls chasing him too."

"Nabiki", Akane said softly and made her eyes look big as she pleaded, "will you please stop selling pictures of me and Ranma to Kuno and the other perverts at school? With the failed wedding the Horde will probably start back up again and I just can't deal with that again."

"How are we going to pay for the repairs to the dojo?", Nabiki asked, annoyed that her sister would ask her to cut off a source of income when they needed it more than usual.

"I wanted to ask you what you think our options might be getting back at Ukyo and Shampoo for their hands in destroying the dojo. Could we sue them for damages? Even though Kodachi didn't actually do anything to wreck the dojo, maybe we could blame her and that idiot brother of hers as well. They are certainly rich enough. Maybe we could get immigration to kick the Amazons out of the country as well?", Akane asked, fire burning in her eyes as she clasped her hands in her lap.

Nabiki's trademark smirk came back full force then, the idea of suing the girls for the destruction of the their dojo when it was the Saotomes they were after definitely appealed to her. Blaming the Kunos and siphoning off a large chunk of their money definitely appealed to the mercenary Tendo as the wheels in her head began to turn on how she could spin it to include them in the lawsuit. The problem was of course the Kuno lawyer team. A protracted legal battle with the Kunos would come down to money and they had a lot more of it than she did.

Kasumi watched and listened in silence until then when she said, "After all the damage they have done to us, I think that would be an excellent idea. You know, you might be able to get another lawsuit for the Saotomes against the three of them as well for their actions in destroying Auntie's house."

Akane's battle aura appeared around her and Nabiki backed away in surprise with a small yelp. The raven haired girl pounded her fist into an open hand and said, "Yeah, let's sue them for everything they've got, drive the Nekohanten and Ucchan's out of business and get rid of them once and for all."

"Oh my!", Kasumi gasped as a hand flew to her mouth. The eldest daughter wasn't a big believer in revenge and retribution, but enough was enough. She was getting tired of her beautiful home being constantly wrecked by one strange situation after another and with the destruction of their family legacy, it was time to take the gloves off and go to war.

Nabiki's smirk turned into a shark grin and she said menacingly, "I'll investigate our options. You're right, this has gone on long enough. It's time for the Tendo sisters to show them that we mean business. When the dust settles we'll be standing atop the smoking ruins of those bitches with smiles on our faces."

"Nabiki", Akane said slowly, "What do you think will help our revenge more, getting everyone to boycott the Nekohanten and Ucchan's or leaving them alone until we drop the lawsuit on them?"

"That's an interesting question", Nabiki replied as an evil smile spread across her face, "If we allow them to keep acquiring money it would mean more for us perhaps. However, I think it would be more satisfying to beat them down with the boycott before we break them entirely with the lawsuit. The emotional damage would be higher because they would feel confused and rejected just before we crushed them."

Akane put her hand out as an evil smile appeared on the raven haired girl's face. She delighted in the notion that she would defeat her rivals without throwing a single punch. Nabiki put her hand on top of her baby sister's and the two of them looked towards Kasumi. The eldest sister sighed but nodded and put her hand on top of Nabiki's. The three girls looked at one another and saw the fire within each other's eyes and nodded their heads. In that moment, the Tendo sisters had decided to declare war on the fiancée brigade.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Nodoka walked out towards the dojo and called for Ranma. The pigtailed martial artist put down some boards he was handling and poked his head outside, wondering what his mother wanted.<p>

"Ranma", Nodoka said calmly, "Will you come inside for awhile? I want to talk to you about something."

"Sure Mom", Ranma replied and smiled as he set down some boards he was carrying much to the displeasure of his father. The pigtailed martial artist smirked at the old man and walked outside the dojo.

"Nodoka dearest", Genma complained, "can't he do that later? We're working on repairing the damage those silly girls did to the dojo."

"You and Soun can continue working on that seeing how you two do so little around here", Nodoka said crossly, "I want to talk to my son about his silly girl fan club problem and now is an excellent time."

"Yes dear", Genma replied and walked back into the dojo with a scowl on his face. This was supposed to be his retirement and here he was working and the boy wasn't. He looked over at Soun who just shrugged his shoulders and went back to work. Very few people crossed Nodoka it seemed, least of all her failure of a husband.

Nodoka and Ranma walked back into the house. The copper haired woman told her son to go sit in the tea room while she would prepare some tea and cookies that she would bring in a few minutes later. The pigtailed martial artist walked into the living room and sat down on the couch. Nodoka walked in and set the tray down with their food and drink and then sat down opposite her son.

"Ranma", Nodoka said casually, "what can you tell me about the other three girls that are chasing you?"

Ranma rolled his eyes and said, "Two of them are crazy and one is nothing more than a friend as far as I am concerned."

"Oh come now Ranma. That's not very descriptive but I am happy to note that it sounds like you aren't interested in any of them. You just need to get them to somehow move on", Ranma snorted at that while Nodoka frowned as she continued, "How hard have you tried to dissuade them?"

The pigtailed martial artist fidgeted in his seat and looked down at the floor as he said quietly, "Probably not as hard as I should have really. I didn't want to hurt their feelings."

"That's commendable Ranma", Nodoka replied, "but you do realize since there is only one of you and four of them including Akane, that three are going to be hurt no matter what you do. If you had told them right away I think it would have hurt less than having dragged it out."

Ranma flinched and said softly, "I kept hoping they would just lose interest. Take Kodachi for instance, she has no fiancée claim whatsoever. She's just a lunatic stalker that's latched onto me. She loves to dabble in poisons and potions and frequently tries to snare me with paralysis powders", Ranma grimaced as his face turned green thinking back through all of his encounters with the crazy gymnast.

"Well, I can certainly say she is rather unsuitable for my wild horse", Nodoka said warmly as she rested her hands on top of her son's.

"Shampoo is even worse!", Ranma said as his mother raised a curious eyebrow. "Right after I was cursed she spent the next month trying to kill me. Once she found out I was really a guy she started trying to seduce me. She would run me down with a bicycle and rub herself all over me which made me terribly uncomfortable, especially since Akane would get jealous further adding to my misery. If all that wasn't bad enough, she has tried numerous love potions to get me to choose her. On top of that, there is the Old Ghoul who is sneaky and very dangerous."

Ranma rubbed his aching head for a few moments and then continued, "I have told them countless times I am not interested but they keep insisting on their Amazon laws which should have no basis here in Japan. Naturally they ignore that little bit and continuously harass me."

"What are these laws?", Nodoka asked. She already didn't like them but wondered how much she should hate them for their torment of her only child.

"The first one is the Kiss of Death. It states that if an outsider female defeats one of them in combat that the Amazon must travel to the ends of the earth to kill the mark", Ranma replied as his thoughts drifted back to when Shampoo was chasing him around China for a month. He finally lost her for a week or so before she showed up at the Tendos.

Nodoka gasped and said, "Wow, these Amazons sure are sore losers indeed and it could easily backfire on them. I wonder how their village would stand against being bombarded by the Chinese military if they should happen to kill a party official's wife."

Ranma grimaced and said, "Not very well. Perhaps I should mention that to them to encourage a change in their narrow thinking. The other kiss I am aware of is the Kiss of Marriage. It states that if an outsider male defeats the Amazon that she must marry him which is where my current problem lays. The thing is, I didn't technically beat her, she knocked herself out trying to attack me. The whole situation is just so stupid but they are incredibly dangerous so I am not really sure what to do about it."

The Saotome matriarch listened intently to her son's words and felt her anger rise within her. How dare that little lavender haired bitch try to kill her only child and then try to seduce him afterwards. That wretched grandmother too, attempting to bully her son. Nodoka wasn't sure what she could really do though. She lacked the fighting skill to remove them from consideration that way and why would they listen to her if they ignored her own son? Still, she had nothing really to lose by trying, maybe the elder Amazon would actually respect a matriarch's opinion. Nodoka decided she would take a trip down to the Nekohanten the following day. Perhaps during lunch, if she aired enough of the Amazon's dirty laundry… Knowing how overprotective her son was, Nodoka decided not to inform him of her plan.

Ranma took a sip of his tea and immediately felt a little less edgy and set down his cup as his mother asked, What about Ukyo?"

"I think of her only as a friend, nothing more. I thought she was a boy when I met her when I was six years old. We would spar and anytime I won I got a free okinomiyaki. I won a lot", Ranma grinned as he licked his lips. "Then, ten years later she shows up and tries to kill me. Is there something wrong with me mom? It seems as though everyone wants to kill me and if that fails they want to date me except for Ryoga. He just wants to kill me", Ranma smirked in a self deprecating manner.

Nondoka giggled slightly and shook her head as she said warmly, "It's part of your charm dear."

Ranma rolled his eyes and exhaled noisily as he continued, "Anyways, after she failed to kill me and it was revealed that she was a girl, she decided to drop her revenge and wanted to marry me. I called her cute one time and she's blown it completely out of proportion. She brings it up constantly making her decidedly uncute, in fact I might just tell her that the next time she does it."

"Would she be a suitable wife for you Ranma? Never mind that you don't think of her in those terms, but she isn't crazy or anything is she?", Nodoka asked, well aware that none of her son's fiancées were really perfectly suitable, even though she favored Akane. Then again, Genma and her were never truly suitable either, at least not what he had turned into over the last decade.

"Ukyo is in love with an illusion", Ranma said tiredly. "She wants me to lose myself by working in a restaurant. She doesn't care that I have zero interest in that sort of lifestyle and it would ruin all my martial arts training. I am only the best because I work at it and am constantly challenged. If I worked in a restaurant, when would I train? What about my dreams and goals? No, Ukyo is as selfish as Kodachi and Shampoo are."

Nodoka nodded her head sagely and said, "Then out of the four, it would seem Akane is the most suitable for you. She doesn't try to dictate your future or use love potions and paralysis powder to control you. She doesn't seem to chase you though, so I have to wonder how she really feels about you and how you feel about her. You two don't really act like a couple. It's almost like she is allowing you to make your own choice instead of trying to force one on you."

Ranma looked thoughtful at that and had to agree. The tomboy had never chased him or glomped onto him making him uncomfortable. She had never laced food with potions or anything even though her cooking was by far the most toxic of them all. Did she love him though? Did he love her?

"Mom, I need to go think for awhile alright?", Ranma asked as he started to rise from the couch.

"Alright son", Nodoka said as she too rose. The Saotome mother and son hugged for a few moments before they released one another. The auburn haired woman sat back down and took a sip of her tea as she considered her son's words. Something definitely needed to be done about those three horrible girls that would make an unsuitable wife for her son. The elder Saotome then thought about Akane and smiled. Despite the girl's lack of feminine talents she would make a better wife than the other three. Nodoka wondered if she could teach the tomboy some things to help her out as she had seen some of the disasters in the kitchen from previous visits. The elder woman thought that would probably be the best area to start with.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Akane walked down stairs with a robe in her hand after talking with her sisters about retaliating against the fiancée brigade. She didn't really want to think about them at the moment though and just wanted to relax in the bath. Her muscles were a little stiff since she didn't take a bath as soon as she got home like she usually did. As she descended the stairs the raven haired girl heard Auntie Saotome and Ranma talking in the tea room about something. The youngest Tendo decided against eavesdropping a second time. She still hadn't apologized for the last night, though if she were to be completely honest with herself she would know she wasn't actually sorry. Akane had learned some valuable information and she really shouldn't insult her fiancé with a fake apology.<p>

A little while later, after she had bathed and changed into a pink dress and white blouse combination, Akane left the house to meet her friends Yuka and Sayuri. The raven haired girl looked at her watch and picked up her pace as she jogged towards the ice cream shop so she could meet them on time. Akane walked into the shop and noticed her friends in the far corner and waved to them when they called her name. She walked up to the booth they were sitting in and the three girls greeted one another before a waitress stopped by.

"Hi there, what can I get for the three of you?", the young girl asked politely. She looked at the first girl, Sayuri, who had dark brown hair tied into a pony tail that went down her back to about midway.

"I would like a strawberry sundae", Sayuri replied as her brown eyes danced in eagerness.

"Chocolate fudge for me", Yuka said, a light brown haired girl with brown eyes who wore her mid back length hair in a single mane.

"I'll take a chocolate and vanilla brownie sundae", Akane replied as she licked her lips in anticipation.

Yuka and Sayuri looked at their raven haired friend with a raised eyebrow as Sayuri said, "Are you alright Akane? That's your Ranma Special that you usually get when he's done something to annoy you more than usual."

Akane grinned and said, "Ranma Special huh? I guess he has done a lot of things over the years to upset me, but no, this isn't about him at all. Despite the disaster of the wedding yesterday I am feeling pretty good actually. We talked things over some last night and I think we'll be okay. We're too young to be getting married anyway, so even though I'll never admit it to them, Shampoo and Ukyo actually probably did us a favor disrupting the wedding."

"Not to mention the wedding night", Sayuri said suggestively and grinned mischievously.

"Yeah, you aren't doing _that_ with Ranma are you?", Yuka asked as her face screwed up into something resembling disgust.

"Girls please", Akane said softly as her face burned bright red and she lowered her eyes. "We've never really been out on a date or kissed. There is no way either one of us are ready enough to do _that_."

"You and Ranma have never kissed? I find that hard to believe", Sayuri replied.

"The one under the cat fist doesn't count", Akane said, before either of her friends could suggest that one.

"Oh, I wasn't thinking of that", Sayuri replied, "I meant real kisses, you know where your lips touch and you stick your tongues in each other's mouths."

"You know, we're going to be seniors soon and I still don't have a boyfriend", Yuka complained. "The problem is most of the boys at school are losers, perverts or both."

"Yeah, Akane got the only good one", Sayuri said wistfully. "Even with his mouth and brash arrogance he's still a lot more tolerable than all of the other ones, especially Kuno." The three girls all wrinkled their noses in disgust at the mention of the delusional kenoist.

Just then, the waitress showed up with their sundaes and all three girls' faces lit up. They thanked the girl and commenced on eating their treats lost in their own thoughts for a few minutes.

"Girls", Akane said hesitantly, "How would you feel about Ranma joining us as a girl at lunch? She could get to know you two better and you could get to know her."

Yuka and Sayuri looked at one another, the female pronouns referencing Ranma not lost on them, and shrugged. Did Akane think of Ranma as two different people now? Her fiancé and a red headed friend?

"What do you think Sayuri?", Yuka whispered, hoping Akane wouldn't hear their little side conference.

"I don't know", Sayuri whispered back, "If girl Ranma still acts like boy Ranma, do we really want him around? There's only so much of him I can take and Akane's complained enough to us about him in the past."

"True", Yuka whispered, "I wonder why she wants to invite him into our little group though, perhaps we should ask."

Sayuri nodded and then turned towards their mutual friend and said, "Why do you want him to join us?"

"I don't know", Akane said slowly, "I guess I thought it would be nice if my three best friends and I could all have lunch together. I can understand why you wouldn't want her around though I suppose given my history with her."

Yuka and Sayuri once again looked at one another, noticing how much Akane was saying 'her' when referencing Ranma. Did he think he was a girl again? Was his curse locked?

"What do you think Yuka?", Sayuri whispered as she used a hand to block Akane's view of her mouth.

"I guess we can try it, worst comes to worst we don't invite him back or something", Yuka whispered back.

The two brown haired girls turned back towards their mutual friend and Sayuri said cautiously, "Okay. We can try it one day anyway. I hope he behaves himself."

"She will", Akane replied happily and then said, "Thank you girls for being my best friends and understanding."

"Well", Yuka said hesitantly, "to be honest I don't understand, but I know how important Ranma is to you so I am willing to give him a chance because you are my friend." Sayuri nodded her agreement.

"I have another important topic I would like to talk to you two about", Akane said seriously which caused her two friends to raise an eyebrow in curiosity. "My sisters and I are moving against the other fiancées and want to exact retribution for their disgraceful attack on my family's dojo. Kasumi, Nabiki and I talked about it this afternoon and we're going to try to sue them for damages to recover the cost of repairs. Before we crush them with a lawsuit though, we want to hurt them emotionally, mentally and financially too and we would appreciate it if you would boycott both the Nekohanten and Ucchan's. If you could help us get others to join in this boycott, perhaps it would be successful."

Akane continued with a fire in her eyes as she said, "Nabiki is looking at our options now and seeing what we can really accomplish. She's also going to look into getting the Amazons deported."

"This is rather ambitious of you Akane", Sayuri said thoughtfully as Yuka nodded in agreement. "While I can't speak for Yuka, I will help you with this in any way that I can. I hereby boycott the Nekohanten and Ucchan's in an effort to help you with your vengeance."

"I, Yuka, hereby boycott the Nekohanten and Ucchan's in an effort to assist you with your plan", Yuka said with conviction. If it helped Ranma and Akane get together, and removing those annoying girls would help in that regard, she was all for it.

"Thank you girls", Akane said as her brown eyes shimmered brightly, "Nabiki may have a better plan than what I've come up with though, so would you check with her tomorrow and see if she has something different in mind than word of mouth?"

"Of course", they both said in unison.

Akane, Yuka and Sayuri then switched to lighter topics for the awhile afterwards before they all said their good-byes to one another and went their separate ways. The raven haired girl didn't really want to go home just yet so she headed off towards the park enjoying the gentle breeze and the clear blue skies.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, the Tendos and Saotomes were sitting around the dining room table and it almost seemed like things were back to normal. Almost. Other than the small fact that Ranma was missing, conversations were lively and morale was better than it had been the previous evening in light of the wedding disaster. Soun and Genma were drinking and carrying on in a drunken cheery mood. Nabiki was stoned faced as usual no doubt thinking up some scheme or another. Kasumi and Nodoka were talking about a new recipe they wanted to try the next time there was a special occasion. Akane just sat there quietly and ate slowly as she wondered where Ranma was and why no one seemed concerned that he was missing. Finally having had quite enough, she decided to voice her irritation.<p>

"That's it!", Akane yelled getting everyone's attention instantly, "You all are carrying on without a care in the world and Ranma is missing! Don't you care? Don't you wonder why he isn't here?"

Nabiki covered her mouth to hide a sly grin as a throaty chuckle escaped from her mouth. The men just looked at her strangely. Nodoka and Kasumi giggled lightly as the elder Tendo daughter said, "Nothing to worry about Akane. Ranma told me earlier that he would be missing dinner and wouldn't be back until later tonight."

"Oh", Akane said sheepishly and turned a darker pink in embarrassment as she shrunk into herself at the table.

"Does this mean _you_ care about him Akane?", Nabiki said slyly.

The rest of the family laughed, some politely, some not so politely. They switched back to their conversations again as they figured they would never actually get a confession of love out of the youngest Tendo.

* * *

><p>After dinner, Akane went upstairs to her room to work on homework. It wasn't fun, but she was two weeks behind thanks to her adventure in China. She propped open her math book, and just like the evening before, just couldn't seem to get into it. Her thoughts drifted back to everything she had tried to set in motion that day with the most important one still looming on the horizon she hoped.<p>

Ranma had been absent most of the day except for the time he was talking to his mother while she was taking a bath before going to see her friends. Akane wondered where her fiancé was and hoped he would make it back in time so they could talk. They had never set a certain time or anything but seeing as how they had school in the morning it would seem that a time before midnight would be good.

Her thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door. Akane called for whoever it was to come in and set her book down as she turned in her chair to see who it was. Nodoka walked in and smiled warmly at her future daughter-in-law.

"Hello Akane", the elder Saotome said as she made her way over towards Akane's bed and sat down.

"Hello Auntie", Akane replied, glad for the respite from her homework and continued, "Is there something I can help you with?"

"I'm sure he thanked you, but as a mother I wanted to thank you as well for your help in calming my son down last night", Nodoka said as she sighed. "I never knew he had such horrible nightmares but I am really glad you are willing and able to comfort him during those times."

Akane smiled and nodded, "It's not my place to tell you what they are about, but he's had some pretty bad ones ever since I've known him. I help when I can and I am usually able to calm him down. The one he had last night was one of the worst ones I've ever heard. He could wake the dead screaming like that."

"While I am proud of my son, sometimes I wonder if I made the right decision allowing Genma to take him away from me for martial arts training. He sacrificed having a proper childhood, socialization and family just to be a very good martial artist", Nodoka paused and then said, "I'm just not entirely sure it was worth it."

"It has been a very rough road Auntie", the raven haired girl said slowly, "I hope he doesn't revert back to his old behavior. I don't think I could go back to the way things were. I'm tired of having him insult me and hitting him for it. I just want us to get along like good friends if nothing else, even though I care for him greatly."

"Family honor aside, will you marry my son?", Nodoka asked curiously.

"That depends Auntie", Akane said carefully, "If he reverts back to his old self no. If he doesn't love me, no. Even if he loves me and can control his mouth, I still don't want to marry him right now. I'm not even eighteen years old yet and I would rather we actually dated for awhile first. If that worked out we could become fiancées because we loved each other and wanted to be together. If that happens then yes I would want to marry Ranma but still not this early. I want to complete high school before I even think about getting married. I definitely do not want to have a child before I am finished with college."

Nodoka nodded in understanding and said, "Good. If I had the ability to stop all of the engagements until after you graduated high school I would do it in a heartbeat. I don't honestly believe I have that ability but I will try. I suspect those Amazon troublemakers will be the most difficult to convince. The only thing I think that may work on them is a decree from the Matriarch of the Saotome clan. Since they are a woman led society maybe it'll be enough, maybe it won't."

"Do you want to try to have a meeting with all of them here next Saturday?", Akane asked, wondering if Nabiki's boycott/lawsuit combination will have any effect by then and maybe they could use that as leverage.

"That would probably be acceptable or even the week after if we want to keep our distance from them for awhile because of what they did to your dojo. I don't think Ranma wants to see any of them anytime soon.", Nodoka replied as she clenched her fists in anger. "Not that I blame him, I'm still upset with them for wrecking my house and would love to see them pay dearly for that disgrace."

Akane smiled evilly and said, "I wonder if you could sue them. They attacked and destroyed your house without cause and should be punished for it. Maybe they could be thrown in jail for a few years and have their engagements nullified."

"Actually Akane", Nodoka said thoughtfully, "I wonder if there is a law on the books that would allow me to dissolve everything in such a way they would have no choice but to accept it because of their actions. Perhaps I should talk to Nabiki about it."

"Auntie", Akane said, her evil smirk still on her face, "Kasumi, Nabiki and I already have a plan in the works in regards to suing the Amazons, Ukyo and Kodachi because of the destruction of the dojo at their hands. I mentioned to Nabiki that perhaps you would be interested in a similar lawsuit regarding your house. I think all you would need to do is tell her you're interested and we'll make sure those bitches pay dearly for crossing us."

Nodoka was tempted to reprimand her future daughter-in-law for language but decided against it. This was a time for war, and war was an ugly business. The elder Saotome looked into Akane's brown eyes and saw the fire burning within. The girl was ready for a fight to defend what was rightfully hers as the Saotome-Tendo agreement was made first, before either Ranma or Akane were even born.

Akane and Nodoka switched to some lighter topics for awhile before the elder Saotome decided to call it a night. Akane felt like taking a bath to relax her muscles which had tightened up during the course of the day thinking about the various plans she and her sisters had going. Revenge was stressful work, it was little wonder Ryoga had always seemed high strung with his vendetta against Ranma. The raven haired girl briefly wondered what happened to both Ryoga and P-chan, not having seen either one of them all day. She shrugged figuring they were wandering around somewhere and gathered up her bathing supplies as well as her robe.

* * *

><p>Somewhere in what he thought was wilderness, Ryoga sneezed. The lost boy looked around trying to get his bearings before raising his fist to the heavens and shouting, "Where the hell am I now? Ranma Saotome, this is all your fault!"<p>

The cursed martial artist set up his tent as it was getting dark. He had a hard enough time not getting lost when he could see where he was going. There was no way Ryoga was going to chance wandering around at night unless his life depended on it. While he waited for his dinner to cook he felt his anger at Ranma boil to the surface as if he needed a reminder of why he was following the plan he had devised the previous evening at the Tendo estate. He never knew how he traveled so far in such a short time, it never made any sense to him. His direction curse seemed to act like a form of teleportation that took him a day to get somewhere on foot that it would take another person a week. It would be incredibly valuable if he could only control it. As it was, it was a royal pain in the ass most of the time.

If the lost boy had actually looked at his surroundings a little more carefully he would have noticed that he had set up his campfire and tent in the middle of Nerima park.

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><p>The raven haired girl went downstairs to the furoba and noticed that the occupied sign was not out which she was grateful for. Akane thought back to the first time she walked in on Ranma and the ugliness that happened afterwards. She wondered, not for the first time, that if that one event had been avoided how different her relationship with Ranma would have really been. If she hadn't walked in and then screamed, perhaps she wouldn't have called him a pervert which he wouldn't have responded with something else which then she finished by knocking the black haired boy unconscious with a table. That one instance completely ruined their beginning but they were passed that now so going back might not help anything, not that she could anyway.<p>

Closing her eyes for a moment as she stood outside the door, Akane muttered a quick apology to Ranma before stepping inside the changing room. She stripped off her clothes and stepped into the bathing room proper and sat on a stool. Taking a deep breath, she proceeded to scrub herself for a few minutes before soaking in the tub. She sank deep enough into the tub so that the water rose to her chin and covered her breasts. The hot water relaxed her body and Akane moaned softly as she felt tension she wasn't even aware of seep out of her and she closed her eyes.

_Some indeterminable time later, Akane found herself on the roof over her bedroom waiting for her fiancé to show up. She had asked him earlier if they could talk and he had said that would be fine so long as P-chan wasn't around. So, here she was around 10:45pm without her small black pig wondering if the pigtailed martial artist would indeed show up. Akane unfolded a blanket and spread it out on the roof. She laid down and looked up at the moon. It was so peaceful and the raven haired girl understood why this was Ranma's favorite place to sit and think._

_There were a few questions in particular Akane wanted to talk about and get answers to. She wanted to know exactly how Ranma felt about her, whether he really loved her or not. The raven haired girl wanted to know, assuming the first question was positive, when they would go on their first date and kiss. The youngest Tendo was so tired of the status quo and if what Ranma had said earlier to his mother was true, so was he. It was time to end the madness once and for all and finally find some peace. Akane idly wondered what form that peace would come in. Would Ranma tell her he loved her or would he leave entirely? _

_Akane was sure that Ranma would ask her how she felt about his girl form, especially since he seemed to be wearing it more than usual lately. The raven haired girl thought about that for awhile when she sensed someone was coming. The youngest Tendo looked up from her spread out position and noticed a certain red haired girl approaching her with a mischievous glint in her eyes. Akane smiled, Ranma was usually easier to talk to as a girl and had an easier time expressing her emotions. The raven haired girl felt her heart skip a beat and wondered what her fiancé would say to her._

_"Hello Akane", Ranma said cheerfully as she approached the youngest Tendo and sat down on the blanket next to her fiancée._

_"Hello Ranma", Akane replied with a smile on her face as she rolled to a sitting position so she could look Ranma in the eyes. _

_The raven haired girl's brown eyes wandered all over the red haired girl's body sensing something was different. She noticed a few things, for one, the red-head's hair had been pulled out of her usual pigtail and flowed down her back in a free flowing mane. The other thing Akane noticed was that her fiancé was wearing a bra for some reason and with it probably panties as well instead of boxers. Ranma was still wearing her Chinese shirt and pants but for some reason she had decided to wear proper feminine underwear. _

_Ranma noticed Akane's scrutiny and blushed, knowing full well what the raven haired girl was noticing and looked away before her face lit up like a supernova. The youngest Tendo giggled slightly and put a hand on Ranma's chin in order to turn her fiancé's face back towards her. Akane could feel the desire to kiss Ranma burning deep within her heart but she knew she couldn't act on it until they had talked and she knew that the red haired girl loved her._

_Akane smiled and said sincerely, "You know Ranma, you should wear your hair unbound like that all the time. At least in your girl form it looks like fire and suits your personality better." The raven haired girl blushed as a thought appeared in her mind, 'You are much more beautiful looking with your hair trailing down your back like that rather than tying it in that loathsome pigtail.' _

"_Thanks Akane", Ranma replied as her cheeks turned a nice shade of pink in which Akane's smile widened and her warm chocolate eyes became more inviting. Ranma could feel herself getting lost in the brown depths and wanting nothing more than to kiss the raven haired girl that still had a hand on her face. The red haired girl knew she couldn't though, at least until Akane told her it was okay for them to kiss in general, let alone with both of them as girls. Ranma hoped, prayed even, that her fiancée wouldn't have a problem with her girl side when it came to showing affection but thought that might be too much to hope for._

"_Thank you for coming up here tonight so we could talk Ranma", Akane said silkily as she idly traced her fiancé's jaw with her forefinger, "I know we have a lot to talk about but I am not really sure where to start. Do you have anywhere in particular you would like to begin?"_

"_U-Um", Ranma stuttered as she found herself melting a little under Akane's delicate touch and said shakily, "I-I don't really know either. I did want to talk to you tonight but I wasn't really sure how to ask you since it seemed as though you were avoiding me most of the weekend."_

_Akane nodded and placed her hand on top of her companion's and said quietly, "It's true, I was avoiding you for awhile. I wanted to think things through before I faced you again. I owe you an apology as well. I never should have invaded your privacy when you were talking to your mother by the Koi pond last night."_

_Ranma gasped in mock surprise and her eyes flashed slightly as she asked, "You were spying on us?"_

_The youngest Tendo smiled warmly and very playfully slapped Ranma on the cheek and teased, "Baka, of course you knew I was there. I saw you looking directly at me and I know how good you are at sensing another person's presence, particularly mine."_

_The red haired girl smiled brightly and nodded as she said quietly, "Yeah, I wondered if you were going to admit to it or not to see if I should trust you with more important things. I would prefer it if you didn't become like your sister, but I suppose for that conversation it was fine if you overheard it. How much did you hear anyway?"_

"_I think I heard everything but I don't know for sure", Akane said softly, "I only heard what you said aloud. If you whispered or said anything really softly I wouldn't have been able to hear it unless I was right next to you."_

_Ranma nodded and took both of Akane's hands into her own and said earnestly, "Then you know I have quite a few things I would like to apologize to you about." _

_Akane gasped and felt her eyes tearing up as she looked into her fiancé's beautiful blue eyes that seemed to have a raging fire burning within them. Apparently Ranma was serious._

"_First off", Ranma continued, "I want to apologize for all of the childish insults I said about your figure, martial arts abilities and everything else I have insulted over the last almost two years. I know I can't go back and change things but if we could start fresh now, a clean slate as it were, I think I can keep from insulting you. I reserve the right to tease you a little, but I don't want to insult you anymore. Truth of the matter is I find you to be an incredibly beautiful, sexy and desirable tomboy."_

_Akane gasped and squeezed her fiancé's hands gently as a brilliant sunny smile appeared on her face. Ranma never tired of seeing Akane smile like that and wanted to see it more often._

"_Secondly", Ranma paused for a moment before clearing her throat, "I will help you with your martial arts if you want. It's something I really should have been doing all along but I found it very difficult, and still do, to hit you. I know you are not made of glass and that to truly grow as a martial artist I will need to hit you. I thought I was protecting you but given everything we have been through and what may lay ahead, I need for you to be able to defend yourself better and not rely on me so much. I was wrong to rob you of your independence and I am sorry."_

"_Oh Ranma", Akane said softly as tears shimmered in her eyes and fell down her cheeks, "Thank you so much. I can't tell you how happy that makes me to hear that you will finally take me seriously as a martial artist. I've been waiting so long…"_

"_I know", Ranma said sadly, "all it took was for you to almost die at Jusendo for me to finally see everything I have been doing wrong all this time. I hope you can forgive me."_

_Akane lunged forward and wrapped her arms around the smaller girl. She noted amusingly that their breasts were smashed together which caused an interesting sensation to spread through her body as she said, "Of course I forgive you. I-I love you. I-I love you more than anything Ranma." _

_Ranma stiffened for a second at the contact but then melted into her fiancée's embrace and said softly, "I-I love you too Akane. I have for a long time now. I could never seem to admit it to myself though, let alone to you."_

"_Ranma", Akane said desperately as she leaned back a little so she could see the red-head's beautiful face, "Kiss me."_

_Ranma's eyes widened and she stammered, "A-Are you sure Akane? I-I mean I am a girl right now…"_

"_I don't care what body you are wearing Ranma", Akane interrupted with a fiery passion in her voice, "I want my girlfriend to kiss me. I'm not asking you, I'm telling you."_

"_Yes ma'am", Ranma replied with a giggle suddenly feeling very turned on by a demanding Akane. The raven haired girl's eyes flashed in amusement and the two girls leaned forward at the same time. Ranma wrapped her arms around her fiancée's back as Akane did the same to Ranma. They inched closer and felt each other's warm breath on their faces. Once they were sure their lips would touch as opposed to colliding somewhere else their eyes closed slowly. The two girls could feel their bodies revving up in anticipation and after a few more seconds their lips touched lightly and their hot breath mingled together as they exhaled into each other's mouth. _

_Akane tightened her grip on the red-head in front of her and their lips continued to press forward which allowed the chaste kiss to become something a great deal more passionate and steamy. Ranma responded by moaning erotically and tightened her grip on her tomboy's hair. The youngest Tendo gasped as a moan escaped her lips. The red haired girl intensified the kiss and slipped her tongue inside Akane's open mouth. The raven haired girl responded by grabbing a fistful of Ranma's hair and slid her own tongue into the red-head's mouth. The girls moaned louder and continued fencing back and forth and thoroughly enjoying each other's mouth as they explored every nook and cranny. _

_Suddenly Akane felt like their bodies were too far apart. The raven haired girl tackled Ranma onto the blanket covered roof and pressed herself against her new girlfriend's body. Their breasts rubbed against one another and they felt an interesting sensation shoot through their bodies. Their nether regions began to moisten and heat up with a feeling that both girls were vaguely familiar with but hadn't felt for awhile. After a few more minutes of devouring one another's mouths they finally broke off the kiss and looked at one another with wonder in their half lidded dazed eyes._

"_Wow", Akane breathed heavily with a twinkle glinting in her loving chocolate eyes as she stared into Ranma's blue ones. _

"_Wow. That was incredible", Ranma panted as she stared back at her girlfriend, still not believing what the two of them had done._

"_If what I've heard from the other girls at school is any indication", Akane said mischievously, "it get's even better. We should really hold off on that for awhile though and just get comfortable with each other doing things like this."_

_Ranma looked at her fiancée in shock, her eyes as wide as dinner plates, unable to process how things could possibly be better than what she had just experienced. The red haired girl found her voice lacking at that moment so she just nodded weakly and pulled Akane down on top of her again. Akane smiled letting Ranma take the lead this time and the two girls began kissing in earnest again. Ranma's delicate hands roamed all around her girlfriend's back and even cupped her ass a few times, eliciting a few moans of excitement from her raven haired fiancée. _

_Akane broke off kissing Ranma's mouth and began kissing down her neck. Ranma moaned and tilted her head to the side so that Akane could have better access to her sexy slender neck._

"_I love you Akane", Ranma whispered as she felt a warm fire spread through her igniting all of her senses in a way they had never been awakened before. She could feel the love pouring out of the other girl and Kami-sama it was intoxicating. Ranma was pretty sure she was already lost and frankly she didn't care. Her girlfriend was kissing her and she was enjoying every second of it._

_Akane broke off her kissing long enough to reply in a husky voice, "I love you too Ranma. Kami-sama you are so beautiful, sexy, and I want you so badly. There is a lot of stuff we can do but we really should wait until we're married for a lot of it."_

"_You know, I wish we had gotten married this afternoon, it's a shame all of those lunatics had to ruin it", Ranma said sadly but continued to stroke her girlfriend's back as Akane continued to kiss her neck._

"_We'll get our chance Ranma", Akane replied in deadly earnestness, "no one is going to keep us apart I promise you." _

_Thunder crashed in the night sky and lightning flashed in brilliant streaks of light. Akane ignored the imminent weather and proceeded to kiss her red haired girlfriend senseless for a couple more minutes. The raven haired girl too began feeling weak and light headed. It was about then that her consciousness started to register something wet surrounding her and the girl in front of her started to melt. The youngest Tendo began to panic as she climbed off Ranma and saw her girlfriend warp and dissipate, almost like a mirage. Her eyes widened in horror and she thought, 'Ranma, come back please!'_

Akane buried her head in her hands as Ranma faded from view entirely in a puff of mist. The strange wetness feeling came back to her and the youngest Tendo looked around in confusion. Why was she in the bathtub? Akane could have sworn she had gotten out of the bath earlier, had it really only been all a dream? She looked at her skin and saw that she was as wrinkled as Cologne and gasped. It had all been a dream, Ranma had never professed his love. It figures that only in her dreams would he say that he loved her. Akane then remembered that Ranma had said he would talk to her later without P-chan around. Perhaps he had planned to tell her he loved her? Either way it was too late now as it had to be well after midnight.

The youngest Tendo frowned and thought, '_I guess we'll have to talk tomorrow after all. I'll just tell him the truth. I fell asleep in the bathtub._'

The raven haired girl sat there for a few moments longer as she put her fingers to her lips, imagining Ranma kissing her again. Akane smiled and climbed out of the tub, her legs shaky from sitting in the warm water so long. She dried herself off and put on her pajamas and robe. After a few minutes of struggling, Akane was able to climb up the stairs to her room. She looked at the clock and sighed, 12:30am. She had been in the tub for nearly three hours, no wonder she felt horrible. The raven haired girl removed her robe and hung it up in her closet before her thoughts returned to her favorite red-head.

Smiling to herself, Akane crept down towards the guest room and snuck inside. Making sure she didn't hit any of the boards that creaked in the older house, she made her way to her fiancé's side and gazed at the red-head's beautiful face. Akane didn't even wonder for a second why Ranma was a girl at that particular time. The raven haired girl felt a flutter in her heart as she watched the red haired girl sleep peacefully. The youngest Tendo thought back to her dream and while she didn't think she was ready to make-out with Ranma without a declaration of love, one small kiss wouldn't hurt.

Ranma shifted in her sleep, on some level sensing someone kneeling nearby. Her danger sense wasn't tingling at all though, so she didn't wake. The red haired girl saw herself laying there on her futon looking peaceful with a certain raven haired girl kneeling nearby. A small smile formed on her lips as she realized Akane was watching over her as she had done for the youngest Tendo on many occasions. Ranma relaxed even further knowing she was safe and cared for.

Akane leaned over her fiance's sleeping form and brushed the hair away from her closed eyes. The raven haired girl sighed softly and thought passionately, '_I love you Ranma. I hope that you tell me that you love me tomorrow night. Isn't it time we stop lying to ourselves and become a real couple? Isn't it time we admit to one another the truth?_'

The raven haired girl captured one of Ranma's hands into her own and she held it to her chest. Akane ran her fingers over her fiancé's hand marveling at how soft they were and yet they were capable of shattering concrete. Ki-enhancement was simply an incredible thing and she knew she would need to get the red-head to help her out with her own Ki-manipulations including energy attacks.

Gathering her courage, Akane whispered, "I love you Ranma."

The raven haired girl licked her lips nervously as she stared at her Ranma's beautiful face. Steeling her resolve, she lowered her head so that her lips hovered directly above those of her currently female fiancé's. She could feel the red-head's warm breath escaping through her slightly open mouth and almost lost her nerve. Akane could feel her heart thundering in her chest a kilometer a second. The raven haired girl placed a hand on Ranma's soft cheek and leaned forward, gently touching the red haired girl's soft and luscious lips with her own. She let her lips linger there for a few seconds and relished in the surge of electricity she felt pass between them. Sucking in her breath, Akane deepened the kiss and felt the warmth envelope her as it passed between the two of them. She moaned in pleasure as she thoroughly enjoyed the stolen kiss.

Akane broke the kiss and leaned back in order to look at her love interest again and thought passionately, '_You're mine Ranma, not that crazy slut Shampoo's, that boyish Ukyo's or that insane Kodachi's but MINE!_'

'_Allow your heart to guide you and you'll never be misled, daughter…_'

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><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it. _


	3. Revelations

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

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><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Chapter Two

_Revelations_

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Akane opened her eyes slowly, despite the horrendous noise coming from somewhere to her right. Half heartedly she swatted at the sound and the youngest Tendo grinned as her alarm clock went flying through the air only to hit the wall with a satisfying thump. Kasumi had once called her newest clock 'Akane-proof' but her sleepy mind was bound and determined to prove her eldest sister wrong one of these days. Today would not be that day however as it continued to squawk at her from across the room. Sighing in irritation she climbed out of bed and retrieved the noisy object and turned it off, wondering ever so briefly why she was getting up so early. Akane changed into a suitable jogging outfit which consisted of black sweatpants and a blue tank top. She looked in the mirror one last time and brushed her hair with her fingers before heading towards Ranma's room in order to wake up her fiancé.

The raven haired girl found the red haired girl scrunched up in a fetal position which was rather unusual for her. Ranma ordinarily sprawled across his/her futon regardless of form. The red haired girl was sound asleep and looked as incredibly peaceful as she had the previous evening. Akane smiled and knelt down next to Ranma and gently played with the red-head's bangs as she shook her friend and called her name softly.

"Akane…", Ranma said dreamily as she shifted position in her sleep and faced the other girl while her eyes were still closed.

"Good morning sleepyhead", Akane said quietly as she shook the red haired girl a little harder in an effort to draw her out of dreamland.

Ranma breathed deeply as a sigh of contentment escaped her lips and Akane stared at the other girl's face. The raven haired girl admired the red haired girl's beautiful features and gently placed a hand on her fiancé's face in order to feel the softness of her cheeks. Akane's eyes drifted down towards Ranma's lips and smiled as she recalled the kiss she gave the red-head the night before. The contact had been brief but rather warm and had felt really nice. The youngest Tendo was tempted to steal another kiss and leaned forward to do so but stopped when Ranma began showing more signs of being alert.

Akane frowned in disappointment briefly before plastering a smile back on her face. The youngest Tendo wasn't sure if Ranma would be comfortable kissing her in his girl form and decided she would have to settle for stolen kisses for awhile. Akane figured it wouldn't be much of an issue once the two of them had confessed their love to one another but maybe it would be, she wasn't sure. The youngest Tendo desperately hoped that they would be honest with one another that evening at the very latest.

"Akane?", Ranma said sleepily as consciousness returned to her slowly. The raven haired girl put her hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"Ranma", Akane said softly, "I never did get a chance to ask you this yesterday, but would you like to join me on my morning jog? The cool morning air will wake you up fairly quickly and it would give us a chance to talk. It's something I feel we need to do and haven't done in two days now."

"Mmm, so sleepy…", Ranma mumbled as she curled up into a tighter ball than she already was and turned to face the other direction. Akane pouted at the apparent dismissal but wouldn't give up that easily. The tomboy put her hands on Ranma's shoulder and gently shook the smaller girl.

"Ranma please?", Akane pleaded, saving her puppy dogs eyes for when her fiancé was actually looking at her, "You'll feel a lot better once we hit the pavement and the cold morning air."

Ranma opened her eyes slowly and rolled back over so she could look at her friend and sighed. The pigtailed martial artist felt really tired but knew she wouldn't get anymore sleep with Akane pestering her about going for a jog. Running around town all afternoon and evening yesterday had really taken it's toll on her system. When she finally got back to the Tendo's she just walked into her bedroom and collapsed, not even bothering to change back into a guy before falling asleep. After that, she had had a particularly enjoyable dream where Akane had kissed her passionately on the lips despite her being a girl at the time.

The red haired girl thought wryly, '_It was a dream wasn't it? Had to be, there is no way Akane would kiss me as a girl, would she?_'

Ranma looked up into the brown eyes of her fiancée and for just for a moment, did she see a hint of longing and desire? The red haired girl shook her head figuring she had to have imagined it given her thoughts at the moment. She smiled uncertainly and wondered idly how she would feel about kissing Akane as a girl. She imagined her tomboy's soft lips on her own and felt a wave of desire and longing surge through her. Her mouth felt incredibly dry all of a sudden and she tried to swallow the lump that was in her throat. Akane watched with interest as different emotions played across Ranma's face and wondered what she was thinking about.

"If you're going to come, we need to be going soon so hurry up and get dressed. I'll wait outside", Akane said as she stood up in order to leave the room.

"Akane", Ranma said a little more alertly, "What form do you want me to come along with you in?" Ranma thought the raven haired girl would prefer her to be a girl but figured she would ask and make sure.

Akane stopped for a second and turned to face her fiancé who was climbing out of her futon and heading over towards the dresser drawer presumably to pick out a suitable running outfit. Ranma dressed pretty androgynously anyway, so it's not like he/she would pick a pink top or a blue one depending on his/her form.

The raven haired girl looked her fiancé up and down for a moment, taking in her gorgeous figure and thought, '_Who do I want to run with, my fiancé or my best friend? I suppose both, after all Ranma will probably get splashed sometime during the run._'

Akane shrugged as she figured she would let Ranma choose her form and said pleasantly, "Whatever form you want Ranma. Knowing you you'll probably just wind up changing into a girl halfway through our jog anyway."

Ranma frowned slightly as she nodded her head in agreement and said, "Alright, I'll be ready in a couple minutes, why don't I meet you downstairs in the living room?"

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><p>A few minutes later the two youngest teenagers were jogging away from the Tendo household with smiles on their faces. Ranma was more alert than he had been previously. They felt the rhythm of their feet pounding the pavement tune with their hearts as they proceeded along Akane's usual route. They sighed in contentment and breathed in the crisp morning air. There was a light breeze which brought with it some wonderful scents of someone's cooking and their noses enjoyed the sensation. Akane looked up at the sky and noted in amusement that while the sun was shining currently, it wasn't likely to last with Ranma the water magnet nearby. The clouds were already billowing and becoming taller and darker as the wind picked up.<p>

They jogged in silence for ten minutes and Akane felt a little nervous because of the silence and her fiancé's earlier reluctance to join her. The raven haired girl knew she had to be strong. She couldn't let him see how much the silence and avoidance was stabbing her in the heart and the pain that came with it. The youngest Tendo had to be prepared for the possibility that he didn't love her and would choose someone else, or leave entirely. Steeling her resolve, she clamped down on her heart but knew ultimately it would be pointless. She loved him and no matter how much she tried to guard her heart it was going to hurt like hell if he ever decided to leave.

"Ranma", Akane said as she flashed him a small smile, "I'm glad you decided to join me this morning after all."

"You didn't leave me much choice tomboy", Ranma said teasingly.

"Pfft", Akane scoffed and accelerated her jogging speed into a run, "I gave you plenty of choice Ranma. You didn't have to come along if you didn't want to. I would have been just fine without you."

"Akane", Ranma frowned as he picked up speed in order to catch up with his fiancé, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing…", Akane replied as she turned a corner and hopped onto a wall and started running across it effortlessly as she would the sidewalk.

Ranma stopped for a second and watched in surprise as his companion disappeared from sight and silently cursed to himself. What if the clumsy tomboy got hurt because he wasn't there to catch her? He sprinted down the road and caught up a little bit later only to find Akane still running along the wall as if it was nothing. The pigtailed martial artist was impressed to say the least. He figured when they started working on her balance they would have to start at the beginning but apparently she had been practicing or was better at it than he had figured.

Akane ran along the wall focusing her Ki and concentration on the task of remaining balanced. It was a little more difficult than she thought it would be but she wanted to prove to herself she wasn't some porcelain doll that needed to be taken care of constantly like a delicate flower. The wall in question wasn't particularly challenging as it was nearly twenty centimeters wide but it would do since she was running and didn't want to fall only to have Ranma fuss over her about getting hurt or worse, laughing at her.

The raven haired girl had begun meditating in order to control her impulses to respond to things in anger and with that calm she found her movements becoming more graceful and fluid. It even helped with her balance so she had taken it upon herself to start running the walls to see where she stood. The youngest Tendo couldn't count on Ranma actually training her despite what he had said to his mother Saturday night. She would train herself, or seek out another if that's what it took.

"Hey tomboy", Ranma shouted as he was trying to catch up, "What is your hurry? I thought we were jogging together."

"I'm training Ranma, something you really should have been helping me with a long time ago", Akane shot back as she leapt over a sizable gap in the wall and landed on the other side in perfect balance as if there had been no gap.

Ranma gaped in surprise at the maneuver his fiancée had just performed flawlessly and shook his head at his own foolishness. In relatively short order he caught up and said despondently, "I know. Akane, I think we need to talk."

Akane looked over at her pigtailed companion and shrugged as she said, "So talk, we can run and talk at the same time."

"Not for this kind of talk. Can we go to the park for a few minutes?", Ranma asked as he looked up into the sky and noticed how much darker it had gotten over the last few minutes. He wondered idly how much time he had before the rain would fall and turn him into a girl again. He watched as Akane jumped over another gap in the wall as though it were nothing.

Akane stopped running after she landed on top of the wall and then hopped down to the sidewalk as Ranma stopped besides her. She looked at her black haired companion and saw something in his blue eyes, she wasn't sure what exactly. Sincerity? Sadness? Remorse?

Ranma shook his head in order to clear it and said, "How long have you been working on this?"

The youngest Tendo smiled and shrugged her shoulders, "For awhile now, I don't remember when I started. Shall we go to the park? You apparently have something you want to talk to me about."

The black haired martial artist nodded his head and the two of them and headed towards the park. Ranma looked at his fiancée and sighed longingly as the two of them jogged along. She was so beautiful even now as she jogged along besides him. Could he really just come out and say something like that though? Maybe he should wait until after her bath when she was in a pretty dress or something instead of when she was sweating in running shorts and a tank top. He watched as her breasts bounced up and down for a few moments before snapping his head back forward.

Akane noticed that Ranma was eyeing her chest for a few moments and wasn't sure exactly how she wanted to respond. Months ago she would have pounded him without hesitation but perhaps it was okay if he checked her out as long as he did it somewhat discreetly? After all she did want him to find her attractive and to open up more didn't she? The raven haired girl pondered for a few moments if that was perhaps something that had stagnated their relationship so badly for so long. He was so frightened of showing her any affection at all being afraid she would just call him a 'pervert' and knock him into next week. Akane smiled to herself as she decided to let it pass and take his quick gaze as a compliment. After all, if he ever wanted ogle a woman's chest all he had to do was splash himself and strip, so maybe it was her chest he was interested in despite him calling her flat chested in the past.

Ranma sighed in relief when it appeared that Akane hadn't noticed him staring at her chest for a few moments and smiled until he looked up a the sky again and noticed how much darker it was than a couple minutes earlier. The black haired martial artist sighed and said, "I'm sorry for ruining your run Akane."

Akane blinked at him genuinely confused and asked, "How did you ruin it?"

"We're about to get rained on. My curse is pulling in water from all over the place", Ranma replied sourly as he scowled in irritation.

"Silly Ranma, do you really think your curse is powerful enough to affect the weather?", Akane smirked in amusement as her eyes lit up when she noticed the shadows on the road were lengthening. She looked up into the sky and noticed the clouds had darkened considerably and smiled when she felt a few raindrops.

Ranma growled in aggravation and said, "Damn it, I just can't seem to spend any time as a guy at all these days. I got soaked a few times yesterday too and here I am about to get drenched again I just know it." Akane giggled to herself despite the mock glare her companion was giving her. Ranma smiled to himself, his fiancée really was cute when she laughed or smiled. His inner self highly suggested he say something to that effect but instead he kept his mouth shut.

"I thought you didn't mind your girl form as much anymore. Come on slowpoke", Akane teased as she increased her speed to reach the park before the sky opened up on top of them. Not that it would change the outcome any. Ranma frowned slightly at the slowpoke comment but then grinned and sped up as well. He was just about to catch his companion when they felt the temperature drop. The air felt a little heavier as the clouds coalesced overhead and then a light rain began to fall. It didn't take long for enough rain drops to hit him and trigger the change. The red headed girl scowled and clenched her fist towards the heavens and shouted in her soprano voice, "Damn you! You couldn't give me one hour as a guy?"

Akane tried to laugh to herself quietly but it came out a little louder than planned. Ranma joined in a few moments later as she began chuckling. The Saotome heiress was less concerned about turning into a girl and more about just being wet so often. Wet clothes tended to rub her skin the wrong way and it was just generally uncomfortable. It was annoying how often it seemed to happen too.

The raven haired girl thought amusingly, '_It's better this way anyway. Now I can talk to my red headed friend. She is still Ranma of course, but he seems to be easier to talk to this way. Male Ranma has trouble expressing real feelings due to the panda's warped and backwards ideas about males and their emotions. Girl type Ranma seems to be a lot less inhibited_.'

The youngest Tendo looked at her female companion and patted a seat in the swing next to her as she said, "Come on Ranma and sit next to me. You said you had some things you wanted to talk to me about."

Ranma sighed and wiped some of the water out of her eyes and walked over and took a seat on the swing. She looked over at her raven haired companion and said, "I do have a few things that I wanted to talk to you about, preferably away from eavesdropping older sisters or parents." Akane nodded as Ranma continued, "I wanted to tell you, that if you want, I'll help you with your balance and martial arts. We can run the fences and walls in the morning like you were earlier and I can help you with your forms in the evening."

The youngest Tendo gasped and nearly fell off her swing as her surprise was clearly evident all over her face. Ranma chuckled at the display and smile warmly as she gazed into Akane's brown eyes. A few moments later the raven haired girl recovered and narrowed her eyes in suspicion as she asked guardedly but with optimism still in her voice, "Really Ranma?"

Akane looked thoughtful for a few moments as she mused, '_Does he really mean it? Yesterday we didn't speak to each other at all because he took off. We almost got into a fight just before the wedding when he denied saying he loved me in Jusendo even though I know what I heard. He's being so friendly and finally offering to train me despite my requests over the last year or so. Why now all of a sudden?_'

Ranma nodded and replied, "Really. I spent a lot of time thinking the last two nights and one of the things that finally occurred to me was that in my efforts to protect you and keep you safe I was actually causing you a disservice. I couldn't bring myself to hurt you in order to train you properly but that meant you had to be more dependent upon me and it was hurting your self sufficiency. You are an excellent martial artist in your own right and I had no right to deny you that. I am truly sorry Akane. I should have been helping you from the beginning so that you could better protect yourself and allow you to keep your independence. It was wrong of me to withhold such crucial information from you and I wish to not only atone for my actions, but to correct my mistake as well."

"Thank you Ranma, but what about sparring?", Akane said as she clasped her hands in front of her chest and turned hopeful eyes on her fiancé. The youngest Tendo daughter felt her heart melt in hope and happiness at Ranma's words as she looked into her friend's beautiful blue eyes and saw the sincerity blazing within. Akane considered leaning forward and embracing her friend but thought it might be a little awkward with them sitting in two different swings. The raven haired girl realized with a smirk she would have only succeeded in falling onto the ground and getting muddy no doubt causing her fiancé to laugh at her.

Akane smiled that certain warm smile that always seemed to melt Ranma's heart and the red haired girl found herself becoming lost in the warmth of her friend's chocolate eyes. A cool breeze blew through the two girls and swirled their hair. The pigtailed martial artist wanted to hug her fiancée but wasn't sure if the tomboy would take it well with her being a girl presently. Ranma was not suffering from a horrendous nightmare like she had two evenings before at the moment so the hug might be too awkward especially where they were. The sky opened up on top of them and the two girls shrieked as the rain felt really cold on their skin as it dripped down their backs underneath their shirts.

"I-I don't know about sparring yet Akane. I still don't want to hurt you…", Ranma replied hesitantly as she regarded her fiancée warily.

"Ranma", Akane growled, "I am a martial artist too, when are you going to treat me like one? I'm not a porcelain doll you know."

"I-I know that Akane", Ranma looked down at the ground which was quickly becoming muddy from the rain and said, "I'll try, that's all I can promise."

Akane nodded, knowing it was difficult for him to bring himself to hit her, let alone hurt her. She smiled warmly as she reached out and touched her fiancé's shoulder. Ranma looked up with confusion clearly written all over her face but upon seeing the smile her facial expressions softened and relaxed.

The youngest Tendo said softly, "It's not like I'm asking you to go all out on me in your male form Ranma. I'd rather spar against your girl form and you know how to hold back enough to give me a challenge but you need to hit me. How am I ever going to improve if all you do is dodge? I'll get sloppy and think I don't need to work on defense and when it comes to a real fight I'll be in trouble. Ranma, please help me reach my potential."

Ranma looked into her friend's chocolate eyes and saw the desperation and the pleading within and she found her resolve melting. She knew that her fiancée was right and that she could, no should, help her to improve. Coming to a decision, the red haired girl nodded again.

"I will help you Akane", Ranma said softly, filled with conviction.

Akane stood up and leaned over in order to embrace her sitting currently red haired female fiancé and said, "Thank you Ranma. We should head back and get out of this weather before we catch cold or pneumonia."

"I still had a few more things to talk to you about", Ranma replied sadly, not standing up. Akane broke the hug and stepped back as she looked over her friend carefully.

Akane nodded and replied in a slightly sad tone, "I know, maybe we can finish this at lunch or take a walk in the park after school? If neither of those work we could always sit on the roof tonight but we really should get out of the rain, especially with how hard it's coming down now." Akane held out her hand in order to help the smaller girl out of her swing with the warm smile of hope on her face.

Ranma nodded and knew her fiancée was right. It was early February and between the rain which was cold and the wind which had picked up quite a bit, they would get sick if they stayed out in the elements much longer. It put their talk on hold, but maybe that wouldn't matter as much as she thought it would. The red-head took Akane's offered hand and stood up and the two of them stood next to one another for a few moments before heading out of the park and back home.

Akane and Ranma laughed happily as they held hands running back towards the Tendo estate and they relished the softness of the other as they intertwined their fingers more intimately. The red haired girl noted happily that Akane had no issues holding her hand as a girl although that was probably only because they were alone on the soaking wet and abandoned streets of Nerima. Still, Ranma felt it was progress that Akane wasn't going to shy away from touching his girl half and scream 'pervert' when they were in private.

Ranma looked thoughtful as she and her fiancée ran back towards home. The red haired girl mused, '_I wonder if the other fiancées would be willing to show me any affection as a girl and if I could make that a condition of them even being in contention. Honestly no one but Akane has any real shot with me anyway. I don't feel anything for them except contempt in the cases of Kodachi and Shampoo and disappointment in Ukyo's case. I still can't believe my so-called friend would destroy my mother's house and disrupt my wedding. No real friend would ever do that to someone they considered a friend let alone claimed to love. She's just like Shampoo and Kodachi, I'm nothing more than a prize to be coveted and showed off to the other girls. There is no love there as it's all just a stupid competition to them._'

'_Akane on the other hand has proven already that she can look pass the body. She didn't hesitate to hug me the other night when I was suffering from that horrible nightmare or even to take my hand in hers now as we're running down the street. I wonder how far she would be willing to go with me as a girl and if she would stand by me if I were to become locked again and was stuck permanently. I can't ask her to do that though can I? Would she be willing or even able to marry me this way?_', Ranma wondered and hoped she wouldn't lose Akane if such an event were to occur as it had a couple of times in the past already.

"Is something troubling you Ranma?", Akane asked somewhat worriedly as she wondered why fiancé had been so quiet for their return trip back to the Tendo household. They were just about there when they slowed to a walk and released each other's hands, almost as if their thoughts on being seen by their family holding hands were identical. The two girls really wanted to figure things out for themselves before their family got on their backs again.

Ranma nodded and said, "I was just thinking about the fiancée mess and wondered if an idea I had would actually work. We can't discuss it now though, not with Nabiki and the rest of the family around to eavesdrop." The two teenagers walked through the gates of their home and Akane nodded her head as she thought, '_Nabiki and Kasumi already know I love you, I told them as much yesterday. I still don't want to get married this young though, so keeping the fathers in the dark is a good idea._'

* * *

><p>"First bath is yours Akane if you want it", Ranma said as the two girls stepped up onto the back porch and shivered, glad to be out of the rain finally. The red-head looked over at Akane and admired her generous curves as the drenched clothing had plastered itself to the raven haired girl's form. Akane began wringing out her clothing a little which served to further entice her fiancé and Ranma's smile grew even bigger than it already was.<p>

"Thank you Ranma", Akane said warmly as she blushed seeing Ranma's eyes wander all over her body but never lingering on any one spot for too long. The youngest Tendo smiled inwardly and mused, '_There he goes, checking me out again. He must think I am attractive despite all those uncute comments after all. I think I'll give him a little reward for his forwardness after all I wouldn't want to squash his growing interest in me._'

The raven haired girl used her right fore finger to lightly trace her fiancé's arm as she walked away heading towards the furoba. Ranma shivered slightly at the touch but not because of revulsion. It was the exact opposite actually, as the feather light touch had sent a tingling sensation along Ranma's arm to and up her spine. The red haired girl was still surprised how a little touch of affection affected her but was delighted in the direction their relationship seemed to be heading. They still hadn't had the really serious talk but things seemed to be improving little by little.

"Oh my, you two are soaking wet", Kasumi said as she entered the living room and noticed a drenched Akane walking away from the little red headed girl standing on the porch trying to wring out her clothes while they were still on her person. Ranma had gotten a lot better about the whole feminine modesty thing and wasn't giving people free shows anymore. Akane and Kasumi were glad for that while Nabiki had to use other means to procure girl-Ranma nude photographs.

Ranma nodded and smirked, "My curse went into overdrive this morning and decided to call upon a rainstorm to drown us."

"Baka", Akane muttered to herself, giggling softly as she continued on to the bathroom to take a quick bath.

* * *

><p>A little while later, Akane and a once again male Ranma were heading off to school with apprehension clearly written on their faces. Akane was wearing her standard Furinkan High teal jumper and white blouse combination as Ranma wore one of his favorite red Chinese shirts and black pants combinations. It had stopped raining while they were eating breakfast but the air between the two was still gloomy despite the sunshine. This was their first day of school since the failed wedding and they were bound to be harassed by the vast majority of the student body in one way or another. Akane frowned as she recalled Sayuri saying something about the morning attacks starting up again as no doubt the idiot male population of Furinkan High considered the failed wedding a sign to mean that the engagement was off.<p>

Ranma walked besides his fiancée rather than on the slippery fence which really didn't surprise Akane all that much. After all he wouldn't want to slip and become a girl so soon after changing back. She wondered if he had another reason to walk besides her when she noticed how close their hands were to each other. They looked at one another and then looked away, as if they were both thinking about taking the other's hand into their own and then deciding against it.

"Why aren't you up on the fence Ranma?", Akane asked, not that she wanted him up there but it seemed out of character for the boy not to show off or train every chance he could get.

"I wanted to walk to school with my fiancée. I hope that is alright", Ranma replied as he shrugged nonchalantly.

Akane gave her companion one of her heart melting smiles and slipped her hand into his and intertwined their fingers intimately as she said, "It's more than alright Ranma. I'm glad you are down here with me and not showing off up there."

Ranma chuckled lightly as he enjoyed her warmth and said, "You'll be able to walk the fence in no time Akane and you won't consider it showing off. Actually, considering how you were running on the wall earlier you shouldn't have a problem walking up there now. I would suggest you wait until it's dry though."

Akane smiled as she squeezed his hand again and thought to herself, '_This is nice, the two of us walking along on our way to school holding hands like this. It's almost as if we are a real couple and perhaps after our talk tonight we will be. Please Kami-sama, let our day be relatively peaceful so we don't wind up getting mad at each other and ruining everything like all of those other times before._'

"Akane", Ranma said hesitantly as he stopped walking forward. This of course caused Akane to stop as well and she looked at her fiancé with a questioning stare for a few moments. "I-I was wondering if perhaps we could skip school today and spend the day together instead. I don't think missing one more day would really mean much of anything", Ranma replied with a trace of hope in his shaky voice.

"Ranma Saotome", Akane said shyly as her eyes danced with mischief, "Are you asking me out on a date?"

"What? Umm, yes?", Ranma said sheepishly as he turned bright red and looked away.

Akane blushed lightly and the raven haired girl giggled as her brown eyes danced while she reveled in her thoughts, '_He wants me! He doesn't want the slutty bimbo, the boyish chef or the crazy gymnast. He actually wants me? I'm yours Ranma, I've loved you for a long time now even though I couldn't show it. I couldn't allow myself to show it, but perhaps tonight after our talk I will be able to. Please say that you love me and be gentle with my heart of glass._'

"Ranma", Akane said softly as she gently squeezed her fiancé's hand and gazed longingly into his crystal blue eyes, "we missed two weeks already because of China. I can't make you go, not really, but I need to and you should. We'll talk later I promise and I know we have a lot to talk about. This morning was just the tip of the iceberg but I don't think skipping school is the answer."

"One thing I was going to ask you about when we talked for real was how you felt about our engagement, but perhaps now is a good time in order to give you a chance to think about it if you want", Ranma said cautiously.

Akane looked thoughtful for a few moments before she said, "You're right, that is something we should definitely talk about later. I'll get back to you on that alright?"

Ranma nodded, not the least bit surprised she didn't have an answer right away, or at least one she wanted to voice. The two of them continued towards the school again lost in their own thoughts until they came up to the ladle lady's house. Ranma stopped and eyed her carefully, pondering whether to tempt fate or take a detour. Akane giggled and shook her head. They separated their hands and Ranma took to the rooftop in order to avoid getting hit for once by the elderly ninja as Akane continued along the street normally. A block later Ranma hopped down and waited for Akane to catch up where their hands came together again and they smiled at one another.

"You know, the changing I can deal with. It's being a water magnet that really annoys me. I hate being wet all of the time", Ranma said as they walked along swinging their conjoined hands.

Akane nodded in understanding even though she couldn't truly understand what her fiancé had gone through the last two years. She had never been forced to turn into a guy and shuddered in revulsion when she thought of it. She looked up and tried to suppress a groan as they approached the front gates. Dozens of boys in sports equipment and one delusional kendoist milled about inside the school grounds all looking ready to attack a certain someone. The youngest Tendo rolled her eyes and said, "Looks like we get to deal with the Horde again too, lovely."

"Ah hell no, they're going to start this crap again?", Ranma asked, wondering just how stupid the male student body could possibly be but then mused, '_Well, they did look up to Kuno and listen to him when he set up the so-called challenge in the first place. I guess that really does speak volumes about their intelligence._'

"Yuka and Sayuri weren't one hundred percent positive that they would but they said it would be a likely possibility that they would view our failed wedding as a sign that we broke up and our engagement was off", Akane replied with a hint of annoyance in her voice and then thought, '_Damn it, so much for a peaceful day, of course I suppose that was too much to hope for. Maybe we should have skipped after all…_'

Ranma groaned and turned to his female companion and asked, "What do you want to do about this?"

Akane grinned at the pigtailed boy next to her and squeezed his hand gently as she said, "Why don't we get out of Nerima for a little while and spend the day together?"

"Are you sure?", Ranma asked, curious about the tomboy's sudden change of heart, "I thought you didn't want to skip today because we've missed two weeks already lately." A thoughtful look along with a smirk cross his face as he said, "I do believe someone already mentioned this idea not that long ago."

"Baka!", Akane teased as she pointed at the mob gathered just inside the school's gates and said, "_They_ changed my mind. Now that I think about it though, missing one more day won't hurt us and I'm in too good a mood being with you to have _them_ ruin it."

Ranma grinned at the compliment and said, "Alright Akane, where would you like to go and do?"

Akane shrugged and said, "Let's go to the train station and just pick some random place to go to. I don't really care where we go or what we do, I just want us to do it together. Oh wait a minute, I didn't bring any money and you probably didn't either."

Ranma groaned and shook his head as he said, "I didn't know we were skipping today otherwise I would have thought to bring some. Do you think we could go back home real quick? We could claim we forgot something which actually wouldn't be a lie."

"Maybe", Akane said slowly, "Our parents and Kasumi are still there but maybe we can sneak in through my window and get out before they notice. We'd better hurry though or they'll defiantly know we're skipping. At least now if we hurry we'd only be a half hour later to our first class."

Ranma nodded and then said, "I'll carry us back then, it'll be faster if we go over the rooftops." The pigtailed martial artist leaned over and scooped up his fiancée bridal style.

Akane shrieked in surprise as she swatted him playfully on his upper chest and said, "Baka, I'm in a dress!"

"Don't worry Akane, no one will see anything", Ranma said as he grinned and leapt into the air away from the school onto a nearby roof top.

* * *

><p>Still hanging on to his fiancée, the pigtailed martial artist roof hopped along the Nerima skyline heading towards the Tendo estate. Akane tightened her grip and watched in fascinated horror as they flew across alleyways and felt the wind on her back. She marveled at the speed and grace Ranma displayed and couldn't help but feel a little jealous. Akane felt safe though and cuddled up against the warmth that she felt radiating out of her fiancé's muscular chest.<p>

"Ranma", Akane said somewhat muffled as her head was buried in his shirt, "When do you think I'll be able to do this?"

"I don't know Akane, but it is definitely something I plan on helping you with", Ranma replied as they landed on the roof above Akane's room. The pigtailed martial artist gently set his fiancée down and gave her his best attempt at a sunny smile. Akane blushed lightly and returned with her own heart melting sunny smile.

"Ok Ranma, you stay out here and I'll be just a few minutes after I change. Don't you dare peak in my window", the raven haired girl said softly with a hint of steel in her voice.

"You're going to change here?", Ranma asked as he rose an eyebrow in alarm, "I thought you'd grab a change of clothes and some money and then get out. We don't want to be caught. Besides, if you leave your uniform here then they'll definitely know if they happened to come into your room."

Akane groaned and shook her head. Why didn't she think of that? The youngest Tendo climbed through her window and quickly emptied her school bag somewhere Kasumi wouldn't find it accidentally and proceeded to stuff in a wallet, a change of casual clothes that wouldn't look too terrible if they were slightly wrinkled and some other minor things.

* * *

><p>The raven haired girl climbed back through her window and the two teenagers headed off for the train station without a care in the world where they were going to go. They just wanted to go there together. They arrived at the station without incident and Akane ducked into the ladies' room in order to shed her Furinkan uniform in favor of a white blouse with blue trim and dark blue pants. She briefly fixed up her short hair and put on a little lip gloss, a touch of blush as well as some light mascara. Smiling at herself in the mirror she sighed and headed back out to meet her fiancé. The youngest Tendo daughter found him leaning up against the wall grinning at her. Akane blushed and looked away for a few moments.<p>

Ranma looked over his fiancée wondering what was different, other than the fact that she was wearing pants instead of a dress. After a few moments he noticed the light touch of makeup and smiled as he said, "You look really nice Akane."

"T-Thank you Ranma", Akane said as she blushed again as she suddenly found the ground interesting to look at.

"Akane", Ranma paused for a second looking slightly uncomfortable but then continued, "I know this might be in bad taste, but I was thinking I could get you some flowers from that man over there. Problem is I don't have any money and I can't very well ask you to loan me some so I can buy you flowers with it. It would be like you were getting them for yourself."

Akane's face lit up as she giggled and said, "Don't worry about that right now Ranma, this isn't our date. You can get me some flowers when we go out tonight for dinner alright?"

Ranma nodded and the two teenagers looked at the schedule board to see where they could go in short order. The sooner they got out of Nerima the better.

Akane found the train information they would need and took care of the fare. A few minutes later they sat down on a bench in order to wait for the train that would eventually take them to Shibuya to show up. The raven haired girl reached out and took Ranma's larger and warm hand into her own and smiled. About twenty minutes later the train they needed arrived and after waiting for people to depart, they found two seats together in the back and sat down never having let go of each other. Akane leaned her head against Ranma's shoulder and the two of them sighed in contentment and chuckled softly. It wasn't the first time, nor would it hopefully not be the last, but the two of them finally looked like a real couple.

"Where are we going Akane?", Ranma asked as he looked out the window at the passing terrain after the train had started moving.

"We are heading for the Meiji Shrine in Shibuya. It's in a large park surrounded by a forest. I figured we would take in the history of the place, offer up a prayer or two and walk around the grounds. At some point we can have a picnic with the lunches Kasumi made for us", Akane replied softly as she looked outside at the passing terrain as well.

"That sounds really nice", Ranma said softly and then a thought occurred to him. "Akane, did you say the place was surrounded by a forest?"

"Mhmm", the raven haired girl mumbled into her fiancé's shoulder, wondering why that was important.

"Since you wore pants today", Ranma said quietly, "how would you like to get some tree hopping training in?" The pigtailed boy thought it was odd that Akane wore pants for this trip but was glad she had if she agreed to some training. Perhaps she knew when they were at the house where they would be going and what they could accomplish? He knew, and rightfully so, that she would never agree to jumping practice in a dress and would probably have called him a pervert for suggesting it.

Akane raised her head off the pigtailed boy's shoulder and looked at him carefully, studying his face looking for signs of teasing but finding none. The youngest Tendo still wasn't sure whether to believe Ranma on his promise to train her or not from that morning. She gazed into his beautiful blue eyes and saw only honesty and sincerity blazing within, just like earlier. Akane smiled one of her patented heart melting smiles and nodded as she said, "Thank you Ranma, I would love to."

Ranma smiled and wrapped an arm around his fiancée and squeezed gently as he looked outside the window once again to see that they were approaching their stop. Akane pressed herself against her pigtailed fiancé and enjoyed the warmth that she felt for a few more seconds before the announcer said where they were stopping next. A few minutes later the two teenagers disembarked their current train and had to wait around for awhile in order to catch the next one that would take them to Shibuya.

They sat on a bench in the station for a few minutes holding hands just talking quietly when the train they needed for the second leg of their journey pulled up. As before, they waited for the people getting off to vacate and then found two seats next to each other in the back. Ranma sat next to the window again and wrapped his arm around Akane's shoulders as she slid in next to him.

"Shibuya station, next stop Shibuya", the announcer blared a little while later.

The train pulled up to the Shibuya station and the two teenagers disentangled themselves from one another and made sure they had all of their belongings. They gathered up their two school bags that contained her school uniform and the two bentos. They smiled as they walked off the platform and took in the beautiful day. It sure beat staying indoors all day listening to teachers and dealing with perverts and lunatics. The sun was shining and the temperature was very pleasant for early February. They felt a light breeze swirl around them and there were very few clouds in the sky. It seemed almost impossible that they would get rained on, but they would never tempt fate by saying that out loud with Ranma the water magnet nearby.

The couple walked along the main road holding hands as the pigtailed martial artist looked around. There was a lot of activity on the streets and a large amount of stores offering everything and anything as far as the eye could see. Ranma hoped that Akane hadn't brought them here to do a ton of shopping in addition to visiting the shrine. If they went home with a bunch of bags when they were supposed to be in school a few Tendos along with his parents wouldn't be particularly happy with them.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Nabiki looked at the group of girls in front of her and smiled as she said, "Alright, I called each of you yesterday because I wanted to have a meeting but I didn't want to repeat myself a dozen times. I want you all to get the word out that Ucchan's and the Nekohanten are to be boycotted by everyone that you can get to do so. I don't care how you convince them, but make it known that those that do not comply will be on my shit list. No one is to buy or eat anything from Ukyo when she sets up her grill on campus, nor Shampoo if she happens to bring ramen by. Understood?"<p>

The twenty or so girls in front of her all nodded and dispersed. Nabiki smiled evilly and thought, '_Payback is a bitch and so am I. This is my last operation for Furinkan High, this is my legacy. I am going to have fun with this, thank you Akane for suggesting it. I will admit that I was surprised when you came up with this as this is more like something I would do. Maybe we aren't so dissimilar after all._'

Nabiki hummed to herself as she walked towards her classroom when she noticed something strange. It wasn't so strange that the Hentai Horde had reformed in light of the failed wedding but that they were still standing. Either Akane and Ranma hadn't arrived yet or they had somehow snuck inside without facing them. Kuno was hiding behind his tree as usual and the other two dozen boys were milling about with anxious expressions on their clueless faces.

Narrowing her eyes she stormed up to the group of boys and shouted, "You all will never attack my sister ever again, am I clear on this? And you Kuno, how dare you set up that stupid challenge in the first place!"

"But Nabiki…", someone began to protest before receiving a very direct and very painful reminder not to question the middle Tendo. The poor boy in question collapsed with his hands clutching his groin and tears flowing out of his eyes like a waterfall.

"Never again", Nabiki growled and continued, "I will make your lives hell if you cross me on this. You know who I am and I will not tolerate any more attempts to win my sister. She will never choose any of you losers for her heart belongs to Saotome of her own free will." The middle Tendo glared at Kuno with disgust, "Just because they didn't get married on Saturday doesn't mean they don't love each other and won't eventually marry. Your pursuit of her, all of you including you Kuno, is over!"

'_Family comes first_', Nabiki thought heatedly to herself as she stalked away.

* * *

><p>Kasumi hummed to herself as she walked through the market place stopping at every vendor she came across. After exchanging pleasantries with everyone nearby she told them about Ukyo and Shampoo's attack on her family's dojo and the wedding it wrecked between her little sister and her fiancé. Many people had heard about the disturbance but didn't know any of the details. To say they were a little miffed was an understatement and the eldest Tendo found she didn't have to try particularly hard to encourage people to boycott both Ucchan's and the Nekohanten as retribution for ruining her little sister's big day. After she was done shopping and spreading the word, she skipped merrily back home in order to make a few phone calls.<p>

* * *

><p>Nodooka stared at the remains of her house, fists clenched in anger. How dare those girls destroy her house trying to steal a medicine box she wanted to give to Akane. Breaking and Entering, Attempted larceny, destruction of property… The Saotome matriarch stormed off towards the Nerima police department, eager to find out what she could do against the three troublemakers, Shampoo, Kodachi and Ukyo.<p>

"Welcome to the Nerima Police Department Ma'am", a cheery voice said from behind a pane of glass in the reception area.

"Good morning sir", Nodoka said politely, "My name is Nodoka Saotome and I have come wishing to press charges against three high school girls. They broke into my house and attempted to steal a medicine box they thought was an engagement ring that I wanted to give to my future daughter-in-law, Akane Tendo. They ransacked and destroyed my home in their foolishness. Their names are: Kodachi Kuno, Ukyo Kuonji, and Shampoo of the Joketsuzoku. Ukyo can be found either at Furinkan High School or her restaurant, Ucchan's. Shampoo doesn't attend school as far as I know and can be found at the Nekohanten. Kodachi attends St. Bacchus School for Girls. I wish to see them punished for their transgressions against me and my son, Ranma."

The man behind the glass nodded his head thoughtfully and said, "I would like to see them punished as well. I'll see if I can't get a detective out here to take your case. I'll be just a moment."

Nodoka walked over to the chairs lining the wall of the entryway and sat down and waited until her name was called by a short middle aged woman with brown hair and green eyes. The shorter woman regarded the Saotome matriarch carefully and asked, "Nodoka Saotome?"

"Yes?"

"I am Detective Imikara, if you would follow me please."

Nodoka followed the other woman carefully as the two of them stepped into an office.

"Can I get you some tea", the detective asked as she poured herself a cup.

"Yes thank you", Nodoka replied as she took the offered tea and sipped it. She smiled as she thought of Kasumi for a moment as it was one of her favorite blends and as a consequence, the Saotome woman had had many cups of it in her stay at the Tendo estate.

"Alright, I understand you wish to press charges against three minors, is that correct?", Detective Imikara said as she knit her fingers together in front of her on the desk.

"Yes I would", Nodoka replied as she proceeded to explain everything she had to the deputy at the counter but in more detail. She described that all three girls were high powered martial artists and considerably dangerous. If they weren't enough, there was also the Amazon mummy and Nodoka described Cologne to the detective as well.

Detective Imikara frowned as she listened to the auburn haired woman describe the abilities of the delinquents she wanted to arrest and pondered at the real possibility of doing so. Apprehending Ukyo and Kodachi would be difficult if they didn't submit to police authority but the Amazons, oh goodness what a mess that would be. Not only were they more powerful, but it seemed as though they were illegal aliens as well which would require a higher agency to deal with. Still, perhaps they would be able to get the Japanese military involved since they were so dangerous but that might lead to a firefight and too many innocents getting caught in the crossfire.

"There was one other thing I would like to ask of you, your department and anyone that you can get to do so", Nodoka said calmly, "If you would please boycott the Nekohanten and Ucchan's it would greatly help the Tendo sisters out. They want retribution for Ukyo and Shampoo's attack on the their family dojo when they disrupted the wedding on Saturday. I'm sure one of them will be by today wanting to press charges of destruction of property on them as well."

"I see. I'll take that case too then since it's interrelated to yours", the detective smiled, "As for your request to boycott their restaurants I will spread the word about that this afternoon at our staff meeting."

"Thank you Detective", Nodoka said warmly, "You have been most helpful."

"I don't know what we'll be able to do about the girls. Don't worry about them being charged as children, they won't be", Detective Imikara said with steel in her voice, "They are old enough to know full well what they were doing and didn't seem to care about the damage they caused or the people they might have hurt. I will do what I can to bring them down, you have my word."

"Thank you"

"Good day, Mrs. Saotome. We'll let you know how it goes", the detective said as she accompanied the taller woman back to the reception area.

Nodoka left the police station feeling better. She didn't know if they could really do anything against the meddlesome brats that wrecked her house or her son's wedding, but she felt better for trying. If nothing else the boycott might be that much more effective as it didn't encompass the students at school or the people in the marketplace where the Tendo daughter's had sown their seeds.

* * *

><p>A little while later Akane and Ranma arrived at the shrine and took in the scenery. Surrounding the park that surrounded the shrine was a forest which should be perfect for tree hopping training. The park itself offered plenty of chances for a picnic and a pleasant walk and then there was the shrine itself that offered a look into Japanese history. The two teenagers smiled as they could at least tell their families they didn't blow off school entirely as they would learn something at least, not that they would see it that way.<p>

"Alright Akane, what would you like to do first?", Ranma asked as he indicated the shrine, park and the forest for the different activities they could partake in over the next five hours or so.

"Well, it's a little early for lunch", Akane replied thoughtfully and then continued with a smile on her face, "Why don't we take in the history of the place first, then we can train for awhile. After that we can take a break and eat lunch and then walk around the park some in order to let our food settle. We could train some more after that assuming we have any strength left in our legs by then until we need to head back."

Ranma contemplated his fiancée's plan and nodded his head with a smile on his face. It sounded like a good idea. After they finished with the Shibuya activities they would head on home as if they had been at school the entire time. No one in the family was honestly going to be fooled though. Nabiki would be sure to mention that they weren't there and it was possible Yuka, Sayuri, Ukyo or who knows who else would call or stop by and inquire why the two teenagers weren't at school all day.

Akane held out her hand towards her male companion and Ranma smiled as his hand slid seamlessly into her smaller hand. The two teenagers looked at one another for a long moment gazing into one another's eyes before heading off towards the shrine hand in hand. Once inside the Meiji Shrine the two teenagers separated and went to look at the displays that were of interest to them.

Akane walked over towards the wishing wall and pondered for a few moments what she wanted to wish for. She smiled and thought of the perfect thing but paused, wondering if it was too selfish. Certainly the other person's feelings about the matter would be important. The youngest Tendo then thought of another way to word her wish and transcribed it, signed it and hung it on the wall along with thousands of others. Akane hoped her wish would come true, but only time would tell.

Ranma walked in a few moments later with a frown on her face. Apparently the cursed boy had run afoul of some water and Akane couldn't help but laugh as a secret smile spread across her face as she thought, '_My red-head is back, yatta!_'

"I can't take you anywhere without getting wet can I Ranma?", Akane teased her companion as the red haired girl walked up to her.

"It was the weirdest thing Akane. The water fountain exploded just as I was trying to get a drink", Ranma replied, shaking her head slowly in bewilderment. Why did this sort of thing always happen to her? The pigtailed martial artist seemed to be having more and more water accidents lately with each passing day. Was her curse trying to tell her something? If she embraced it more and was a girl for a few hours every day would the number of water magnet accidents decrease or was it really all coincidence?

"Only you Ranma", the youngest Tendo said as she laid a hand on Ranma's arm trying to encourage the shorter girl to see some humor in her situation. "Oh, Ranma, if you want to make a wish you can fill out one of these and hang it on the wall."

"Hmm, what should I wish for? Oh I know, how about a cure for this stupid curse?", Ranma asked and watched as her fiancée's facial expression change from a laughing and happy one to a sad pout that made her face look really cute. Was it possible Akane not only did not mind her curse but would be depressed to see her cured? Would she really miss her red-head's form? Would Ranma herself miss having a girl side? She didn't know the answers to any of these questions and doubted the wishing wall would grant such a wish anyway. The Saotome heiress stood there for a few moments thinking what she could wish for that had a reasonable chance of being granted and then nodded her head as she thought of something. Ranma wrote it down, signed it and hung it on the wall in a random place since she had no idea where Akane had placed hers.

The two girls walked away from the wishing wall in silence as they were lost in their own thoughts. Ranma scowled in irritation as the 'pre-date' they were supposed to be on was now a girl-girl outing. The red haired girl doubted her fiancée would show her much if any affection like she had earlier. Ranma had enjoyed the proximity and the hand holding but with so many people around she doubted Akane would 'out' herself since to the world at large they were a pair of girls.

Akane's thoughts were similar to Ranma's. While she was delighted to see her red haired friend it also meant that she couldn't really show Ranma much affection unless she wanted to be labeled as a lesbian. Due to Ranma's alternative state her own sexuality was somewhat blurred. She wasn't like Kodachi where she loved the male form and hated the female form. To her he/she was the same person, the body didn't matter as much as the soul inside. If that made her a closet bi-sexual, so be it. Actually, she was already a closet bi-sexual when she thought about it. She had kissed Ranma's girl form the evening before and loved every second of it. Those lips were so soft, so tender… Akane found herself wanting to grab her red haired fiancé and kiss her right then and there but knew she couldn't. Perhaps they could in the forest…

"Are you going to change back", Akane asked, a hint of disappointment in her voice, "We could get a cup of hot water from the bathroom easily enough."

"I don't know", Ranma replied and shrugged as she undid her pigtail and let her hair fall down her back. "Being a girl doesn't really bother me all that much anymore. I don't have to be Ranma Saotome, man amongst men when I am like this and it's rather liberating actually."

Akane gave Ranma one of her brightest and sunniest smiles she could and thought happily, '_My wish is coming true after all._'

Ranma noted the change in her fiancée's attitude and thought to herself, '_Hmm, I guess she really does like me as a girl better. In the beginning that certainly made sense because of the Hentai Horde but why now? Could it be she's never really been interested in guys? Is she truly a lesbian? What about the crush she had on Dr. Tofu or was that all a lie to deflect her non-traditional sexual orientation? Not that I can really say anything about that, I'm a boy and a girl but I only like girls. So I'm both straight and gay myself. Huh, when did I start thinking of myself as a girl?_'

"Ranma?", Akane gently pulled on the sleeve of her red haired friend's Chinese shirt, "We should continue with the tour before it gets too late to finish everything we can do here."

"Huh? Oh, right", Ranma replied and the two of them headed towards the Ceremonial room that housed a sizable collection of murals of the Emperor and his wife that the shrine was dedicated to. The two girls wandered around looking at the different murals and smiled at one another as they took in the different colors and shapes. Ranma could appreciate the time and effort the artists put in their work as she looked at the complex brush strokes and the blending of the colors. Just like her own art, each stroke was deliberate and had a purpose. The red haired girl looked over at her companion and saw in her brown eyes the same captivation and Ranma was pretty sure that the raven haired girl understood as she did.

"Aren't these fantastic?", Akane asked as she watched Ranma's growing fascination.

"They are", Ranma said, almost reverently.

The two girls stayed in the room for a good hour looking at the hundred something murals that filled the Ceremonial room when they decided they had had enough of looking at other people's art and decided it was time to practice their own.

* * *

><p>Akane lead her red haired companion into the forested area of the park and the two of them looked at the trees. Ranma scratched her chin as she looked around and sighed. Akane saw what she was looking for and hung her head as she sighed. None of the trees had branches remotely close enough to the ground to work on tree hopping.<p>

"Damn", Akane said softly as Ranma nodded her agreement. "Ranma, can we go on a training trip this coming weekend? There are bound to be trees outside of Tokyo that would be suitable."

Ranma nodded and said, "Yeah, let's leave Friday afternoon right after school. We should be able to reach a suitable camp site before dark and then we can train all day Saturday and Sunday morning before coming back. In the meantime we can still work on things this week in your dojo and around Nerima. One other thing Akane, I want to teach you how to swim."

Akane gasped and stepped backwards in fear, "No…"

Ranma sighed and gently took her companion's hand into her own and pulled her into a hug as she said gently, "I won't let anything happen to you I promise. Not being able to swim is a huge weakness and I want to help you overcome that, please. I don't want to have to worry that you'll drown in a silly little pool of water like you nearly did in China."

Akane felt herself melting into her fiancé's embrace and began to calm down at her soothing words. The raven haired girl felt herself getting slightly aroused because Ranma's breasts were pushing against her own. She tried to push that thought aside for the moment and only partially succeeded. The youngest Tendo enjoyed the hug and how it soothed her apprehension about drowning. The two girls stayed in that position for a few more moments before Akane reluctantly broke of the embrace and said, "Thank you Ranma."

The red haired girl frowned slightly at the loss of contact but knew she was right. What would other people say if they saw two girls hugging one another intimately as they had been doing? Then again, why should they care what other people thought? Ranma couldn't completely convince herself of that second argument though and decided discretion was probably better.

The two girls wandered around the forest wondering if they would encounter any trees they could use for tree hopping practice for the next half hour or so until Ranma's stomach started protesting it's emptiness. Akane giggled at the sound and Ranma joined in a few seconds later.

"I guess someone is hungry", Akane teased as she grabbed her companion's hand and dragged her over towards the picnic tables in park section of the shrine's grounds.

* * *

><p>They sat down on opposite sides of the table so they could face one another while they ate. The girls pulled out their bentos that Kasumi had made for them earlier that day and broke apart their chop sticks. The two girls looked at one another and said simultaneously, "Itadakimasu."<p>

"Ranma", Akane said slowly as she picked up a piece of cucumber wrapped in seaweed, "We should really have our serious talk now. There is no one nearby and nobody knows us here anyway. You said Saturday night that you really wanted to talk to me when you were talking to your mother. Isn't it time we had our honest heart to heart talk where we can clear up any confusion that remains between us?"

The red haired girl panicked for a few moments before nodding slowly. She finished chewing a bit of eel and some rice and said after swallowing, "I don't know if I should talk to you like this though, as a girl."

"You're stalling Ranma", Akane said teasingly and flashed her companion a brilliant smile. "In the past anytime you were going to talk about your feelings you always changed into a girl claiming it was easier. Well, you're already a girl so you don't have that excuse this time."

"I know", Ranma admitted and sighed. She put another bite of rice into her mouth to delay things even more as Akane just sighed and rolled her eyes in mock exasperation. "Kami-sama this is hard…"

"What's so hard Ranma?", Akane asked in genuine concern and reached out to take the smaller girl's hand into her own and squeezed gently.

"You know how I am with feelings", Ranma replied hesitantly as she looked down at her lunch, "Most of the time it seems like I say the opposite of what I mean and you get mad at me. If I am within range you tend to try to hit me with something and we just wind up fighting all the time. I really don't want to go through that anymore."

"Ranma", Akane said softly, "Since our failed wedding how many times have I gotten mad at you, yelled or tried to hit you?"

"None that I can think of, but then we didn't speak to each other at all yesterday", Ranma replied and paused for a moment, "Since the failed wedding other than today we've only spoken when I had that nightmare."

"Okay", the raven haired girl said slowly, "We've been together all day today and have we fought at all?"

"No", Ranma replied as her eyes sparkled a little in the sunlight.

"Ranma", Akane said gently as she squeezed her fiancé's hand again, "Believe it or not but I am sick of fighting with you. I don't want to yell at you or hit you anymore. I want us to get along like we are now, like I know we can for the rest of our lives together however long that is. Of course we'll do something to make the other mad, it's impossible to live with someone and not get angry at them once in awhile. Promise me though that when we fight that we talk it out and come to an understanding before it is allowed to fester and destroy everything we have worked so hard to create."

"I promise", Ranma replied and brought her other hand to rest on top of the two hands that were already holding one another. "Wait, does that mean that you want to marry me after all? You said 'for the rest of our lives together'"

The youngest Tendo's cheeks turned bright red as she looked down at her own food and hissed quietly, "Not so loud Ranma. We're both girls at the moment remember?" Ranma turned bright red herself as she hastily released her raven haired companion's hands and went back to eating her lunch.

Akane frowned at the loss of contact but continued speaking anyway, "I did say that didn't I? I also said 'for the rest of our lives together however long that is' meaning until one of us leaves. If you moved out tomorrow that would end our lives together wouldn't it?"

"Akane…", Ranma said exasperatedly while she rolled her eyes, "Now you are just splitting hairs. I think you know what you meant as I do and it wasn't that."

"Ranma", Akane said pleadingly as she stared into her companion's blue eyes and her voiced softened, "Please, just tell me how you really feel about me. No more evasiveness, no more lies or half truths. Do you, Ranma Saotome, love me with all of your heart and soul? Do you want to marry me some day in the future?"

The red haired girl gulped, trying desperately to swallow the lump that had somehow found its way into her throat. Akane was right, the time for half measures was over and the truth needed to be said. A simple nod would not suffice for such a serious question. She owed it to her, after everything the two of them had been through together, she knew she owed Akane the truth. The damning truth but at the same time completely liberating. Ranma had known for a long time how she really felt on some level about her cute, sexy and wonderful tomboy. Akane possessed a smile that had completely melted her heart that very first day and every time since when it rarely appeared.

Ranma smiled warmly and in a voice thick with emotion, the red haired girl said, "I-I love you Akane. I-I have for the longest time now, I just couldn't admit it to myself, let alone you."

The Saotome heiress looked down at the remains of her lunch in the silence that followed and wondered if this was what hell was like. She had just confessed to the one person other than her mother that truly mattered to her and all she received was silence. Suddenly Ranma sensed a presence next to her instead of in front as a pair of arms snaked around her back and across her chest. The red haired girl felt a female body pressing against her side and Ranma felt an interesting sensation stir within her body.

Ranma turned to her right and the arm that was draped across her chest shifted as Akane hugged the smaller girl in a lover's embrace as opposed to a friendly hug or an embrace meant to comfort someone from a debilitating nightmare. The red haired girl felt Akane's breasts rubbing against her own and that interesting sensation sparked into an internal fire. Ranma found herself enjoying the feeling and wondered what other interesting things she was in store for.

The raven haired girl smiled brilliantly at her red haired friend and said softly, "I love you too Ranma."

Akane cupped her companion's face in her hands, not caring one bit who was around or who might be watching. She gently stroked Ranma's soft cheeks with her hands as she kissed her red haired girlfriend passionately. What began as a soft and chaste kiss quickly grew in intensity that overpowered anything she had felt the previous night when their kiss had been one sided. Their lips seared together and the two girls felt a tremendous warmth spring from their inner selves that ignited a fire within them they had never felt before. Their Kis intertwined with one another as they basked in each other's love and they felt connected to one another in both spirit and body. They moaned appreciably as their passion and repressed sexual tension exploded out of them, creating an aura that enveloped them in a fiery cocoon that blocked out the outside world.

The blinding aura was composed of three colors in a layering effect. The core seemed to burn from their hearts and gently outlined their bodies so it looked like they were wreathed in white hot fire. The outer layer was bright red and resembled a crackling flame as it wavered back and forth like fire in a slight breeze. The middle layer blended prettily the white hot core with bright red and took on a pinkish hue from the inner most layer to the outer corona. The aura was so bright that no one that was looking at them could really tell what was going on inside unless they had been watching previously.

Akane and Ranma kissed each other nearly senseless, losing all track of time as they were literally wrapped in a Ki manifestation of their love and passion for one another.

"Wow….", Ranma moaned out weakly after they had broken their kiss for a second as she looked into her raven haired tomboy's misting brown eyes. The red-head could scarcely believe what she had just experience and looked at her girlfriend with dazed eyes.

"Wow…", Akane said as she exhaled breathlessly and looked into her red haired girlfriend's shimmering blue eyes. Like Ranma, the tomboy couldn't believe what the two of them had done or how good it had felt. She noted in amusement her red-head's glazed eyes and figured she looked the same way.

The aura that surrounded them, blocking view of their activities began to fade and Akane scrambled away from Ranma. She wasn't fooling anyone though, it was rather obvious what had been going on even if some of the people hadn't been able to see it. Akane sat down across from her girlfriend and started eating her lunch again, though her hands were so shaky she found it difficult to hold her chopsticks properly.

Ranma giggled slightly at the sight but then found herself with the same problem and Akane laughed at her in return.

"We just entered a whole new phase of our relationship, didn't we?", Ranma asked, still weakened from their Ki-kissing. "Not just because we confessed to one another finally, but because we did it as girls. This may sound silly to ask now, but how do you feel about my girl side?"

Akane burst out laughing and wiped a tear from her eyes as she said, "Yeah, I think that is a rather silly question considering what we just did, but I'll answer anyway. I love you Ranma, what body you are wearing doesn't matter to me. I've never known you without your curse so to me, you've always been a boy and a girl. However, and please don't take this the wrong way, I do like your girl side better. I know it's selfish of me because you're a guy, but honestly I hope you never get cured. I would rather be with your girl half and I would miss it too much if you got rid of it."

Ranma nodded her head slowly, "I thought that was the case when I saw that look of disappointment cross your face before at the wishing wall. I mentioned something about wishing for a cure and you looked heartbroken. I guess I can lay one of my fears to rest though in light of this revelation."

"Oh?", Akane said gently as she raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "What fear was that?"

"I was afraid you would leave me if I ever became locked again", Ranma replied softly as she looked away, a tear finally falling from her eyes. The red haired girl's tear was not born of depression however, but overwhelming love and happiness that Akane had confessed that she loved her. The raven haired girl had not only said it, she had proven it with that fiery kiss they had shared earlier. Ranma's mind boggled at the implications and she was almost beyond deliriously happy for once in her normally miserable and chaotic life.

"Baka", Akane teased, "Even if I didn't love your girl side I would never leave you because of that. I would stand by your side like I have through everything else we've been through and help you find a way to unlock it. Haven't you learned that by now? I'm not going anywhere Ranma, not without you."

"I love you Akane", Ranma replied as she reached out to take her girlfriend's hand in her own again.

"I love you too Ranma", Akane replied as she squeezed her companion's hand gently.

The two girls stared at one another for a few minutes weighing everything that had happened that day and couldn't keep the smiles off of their faces. The day had gone better than either one of them could have hoped for. Akane replayed the day in her mind and she found herself getting excited about their future. Not only had Ranma promised to train her, but they had gotten away from all of the harassment and irritants of school. They had enjoyed their time taking in the shrine's artwork but the best part of course had just happened, when they had confessed their love for one another finally. Her growing fears of being rejected and abandoned by Ranma because he chose one of the other girls or left entirely were laid to rest. If this wasn't the definition of a perfect day, she didn't know what was except perhaps the day they got married for real, not to mention the wedding night…

'_Bask in the warmth of your love, my daughter…_'

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it. _

* * *

><p><em><span>Akane's current aura color combinations:<span> _

_Ki-cocoon: White, Pink, Red - Confidence, Love, Passion _

_Fl__aming Battle Aura: Dark Red, Black - Anger, Hate_


	4. Secrets and Curses oh my!

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

* * *

><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Chapter Three

_Secrets and Curses oh my!_

.

.

Ranma and Akane finished lunch and gazed lovingly at one another for awhile. They never noticed how much of a spectacle they had caused with their fiery Ki-cocoon that had announced to everyone that something weird was happening. The two girls never noticed the gawking stares of men and women alike as they watched in fascinated horror while the two of them kissed in public. They never had eyes for anyone or anything except each other in the fiercest minutes of passionate kissing the world had ever seen.

Akane knew they should both feel ashamed for their very public display of affection but she couldn't bring herself to care. The other people didn't matter, not really. What mattered was that she and Ranma had confessed to one another and they would forever be bound to one another from that point on. Their Ki-kiss and the merging of their souls had seen to that and nothing would ever come between them again, or so she hoped.

The two girls looked at one another and nodded, deciding they would try to restrain themselves from making a further spectacle of themselves. The couple walked along the path in the park that was part of the shrine's lands. They talked idly for awhile and let their hands drift close to one another but they resisted intertwining their fingers.

"Ranma", Akane said softly, "We're going to have to be very careful when we go back to Nerima. I don't know about you, but I really don't want to broadcast our relationship throughout the ward the second we get back."

The Saotome heiress nodded and said, "I agree. The last thing we need is our fathers trying to throw us another wedding or those annoying little girls attacking us." Akane raised an eyebrow at the idea of her companion, of all people, calling someone else little and giggled quietly.

Ranma paused in confusion at her girlfriend's giggling and looked at Akane with a blank look on her face. The raven haired girl just waved off her laughter and motioned for her companion to continue. Ranma nodded slowly in bewilderment and continued, "I would really rather we got married on our own terms and after our junior year was finished anyway. I'd say senior year except I don't know if I can honestly wait that long."

Akane nodded and said, "I know what you mean. Now that we have finally told ourselves and each other the truth we have known for awhile, I don't really want to wait anymore. What if something happens and we can't get married in a year?"

"Hmm…", Ranma said quietly, "do we really want to jump into things so quickly though? Right now we're both a little delirious from that awesome kiss we shared earlier. We really don't know how we'll be together as we've never really been out on a date. We should revisit this when we are thinking a little clearer."

"We'll be fine as long as you don't insult me", Akane replied in a teasing tone with a brilliant smile on her face. The youngest Tendo slipped her hand and intertwined their fingers, strangers be damned. The raven haired girl was far too happy finally being with Ranma to allow a little thing like society's views on mild public displays of affection stop her from showing her girlfriend some affection. No one would pay them any attention at all if Ranma was male. Akane just didn't care anymore what society thought about the fact that she was in love with a girl that turned into a guy with hot water.

"What, you didn't like it when I called you an uncute, flat chested, dumb, macho chick with thighs that were too think and that was so unsexy she would never catch herself a husband?", Ranma replied teasingly as she leapt out of the way of her companion's half hearted punch.

"Not particularly no", Akane replied with a grin on her face as she gently squeezed her girlfriend's hand. The youngest Tendo looked around briefly and saw that no one was paying any attention to them and smirked as an idea popped into her head. Akane's warm brown eyes glinted mischievously as she took the hand she had captured and placed it on her breasts and said silkily, "Do I feel flat chested to you?"

"U-um, n-no", Ranma stuttered and blushed beat red as she tried to remove her hand from her companion's chest. Akane smirked and released the red-head's hand and watched how quickly it went back to her side. The raven haired girl giggled as the two of them walked along, her face turning pink when she actually thought about what she had just done and smiled.

After a few minutes of silence, Ranma finally felt like she would be able to talk normally again and her blush had faded. She looked over at her companion and asked nervously, "Who do you plan to tell about us? I'd just assume keep it between us as long as possible but I have a feeling you're going to want to tell your friends if no one else."

Akane looked thoughtful for a moment and stopped walking, which caused Ranma to stop as well and replied, "You're right, I would like to tell Yuka and Sayuri, they already know how I feel about you. They have been trying to encourage me to get together with you for awhile now. I told Kasumi and Nabiki that I loved you last night when we were talking about the failed wedding."

Ranma gasped in shock and horror as the blood drained out of her face. In a voice louder and shriller than planned, the red haired girl asked incredulously, "You told _Nabiki_? How could you? Might as well have told the fathers and the rest of Nerima for how long that'll stay a secret."

"Ranma", Akane said quietly in surprise as she looked at her companion in concern, "What's wrong?"

"What's wrong… What's wrong?!", Ranma asked in an even louder voice, "How could you tell Nabiki of all people? You know how she is. If she's willing to sell pictures of us to the Nerima lunatics, what do you think she'll do with this information? We'll be lucky if Ukyo, Shampoo and Kodachi don't try to kill you and drug me", Ranma felt her knees give out and she collapsed onto the ground and began to hyperventilate.

Akane knelt down and folded her girlfriend in her arms and said softly as she rubbed the girl's back, "No she won't, I promise. My sisters and I have a plan in motion that will help all of us. Nabiki isn't going to sell us out anymore. In fact she is going to try to defend us from now on. Trust me Ranma, telling Nabiki is a good thing."

Ranma looked up and into her tomboy's warm brown eyes as she sighed heavily and nodded. She did trust Akane completely and wholeheartedly. If the raven haired girl thought telling Nabiki wouldn't be a catastrophe then she would go along with it. The Saotome heiress was very wary of the middle Tendo sister, but decided she would trust that her girlfriend knew what she was doing.

The youngest Tendo felt her companion relax and smiled as she said, "Are you alright now Ranma?"

"I think so", the red haired girl replied slowly, "I'm still worried about everyone knowing about us but I trust you."

Akane smiled warmly as she said slyly, "Well, the fathers don't know. I told your mother that I would be willing to marry you after high school if we loved one another, not for family honor or because our fathers made an agreement twenty years ago. I think we can count on Kasumi, Nabiki and your mother keeping our fathers under control. We shouldn't have to hide our relationship at home at least. I agree with you though that in Nerima we should just act like friends, at least until we get your bothersome fan club taken care of."

"People are going to notice we're getting along a lot better if we don't argue and fight", Ranma said thoughtfully as she pulled back from the hug they were sharing. "I suppose that doesn't necessarily mean we're an item though. Maybe they'll think we found a way to be friends but still don't want to be engaged to one another. I don't know…"

"You're over thinking things Ranma", Akane replied softly as she stopped herself from saying something sarcastic and continued, "Let's just take things one day at a time and we'll deal with them together."

* * *

><p>A half hour so later, Akane ducked into the ladies room and changed back into her Furinkan High uniform. Ranma acquired some hot water and finally restored his male body, wondering for a moment why he suddenly felt a little uncomfortable. It was almost as if he was really a girl and the male body was her cursed form. He shook his head in order to clear it of that weird thought and sighed. The black haired boy stared at himself in the mirror and remembered how he used to wear his hair in a ponytail, rather than the pigtail before the dragon whisker incident. The hair growth curse was gone now so there was no longer a reason to braid it anymore. The former pigtailed martial artist smiled and tied off his hair in a ponytail and walked back out of the bathroom in order to meet his girlfriend.<p>

Akane looked at her boyfriend with a raised eyebrow and smiled as she asked, "No more pigtail?"

"The dragon whisker curse is gone", Ranma replied, "I don't have to worry about running out of hair now and can wear my hair any way that I like."

"That's good", Akane said as she flashed him a smile, "I never particularly liked that pigtail for either of your forms anyway. It looked hideous and I know I won't miss it. I imagine you won't miss the work putting it up like that either."

"Nope", Ranma grinned as the two of them took hold of the other one's hand and they headed for the train station in order to return to Nerima before school let out for the day. They both knew they weren't going to fool anyone but they had to at least try to get away with it. After all, despite everything they had been through together, they were still teenagers.

* * *

><p>Awhile later, the final bell rang and Nabiki sighed in relief that she was free of the madhouse that was Furinkan High. Kuno had been bothering her all day about his pigtailed goddess and the beauteous Akane. He kept asking where they were or if the wretched cur Saotome had taken them hostage somewhere. The middle Tendo found it odd that she hadn't seen her sister or Ranma all day and decided to see if she could get some answers from Akane's friends.<p>

"Yuka! Sayuri!", Nabiki shouted as she walked out of the school's main building after spotting them near the gate. The two girls turned and frowned, not liking that the mercenary Tendo apparently wanted to talk to them.

"Yes?", Sayuri said in as neutral tone as she could, considering her distain for the girl kept in check by her fear.

"Relax Sayuri", Nabiki cooed, "I just wanted to ask you two if you've seen Akane or Ranma at all today. They were eating breakfast when I left this morning but I haven't seen them since."

Sayuri and Yuka noticeably relaxed and yet tensed up at the news that their friend and the shape-shifter were missing. They looked back and forth between each other and the middle Tendo and Yuka replied, "Sorry Nabiki, we haven't seen them all day either. They didn't go back to China or something did they?"

"Not that I know of", Nabiki said with a grin, "Doubt Ranma has that kind of money laying around. I would have found it by now. Well thank you girls for your help."

"Was that really Nabiki?", Yuka whispered to Sayuri once the middle Tendo was down the road a ways.

Sayuri shrugged and said, "Who knows with the craziness that family gets caught up in along with the Saotomes. She did seem nicer and more concerned than I've ever seen her before though."

"Don't forget about that thing this morning", Yuka reminded her friend, "She told the Hentai Horde her sister was off limits and even kicked that one pervert in the groin when he interrupted her."

"I wonder how much that hurts?", Sayuri said with an evil chuckle as she envisioned herself kicking some pervert in that location when he bothered her.

"I suppose you could always get some Nannīchuan water and find out for yourself", Yuka replied sarcastically.

Sayuri wrinkled her nose at the image as she shuddered and said, "I'll pass on that thanks. I like being a girl and I think I would hate to be a guy."

"Yeah", Yuka agreed and the two of them sighed before heading home.

* * *

><p>Ranma and Akane stepped off the train and shook their heads exasperation and sighed. They didn't want to be back in the Nerima ward with all of the lunatics that wanted to court either one of them. It had been really nice to get away for a few hours but now that they were back they figured they would need to keep their physical displays of affection to a minimum. Even if they weren't hounded by fiancées and suitors they weren't really the shameless type that would openly display their affections with other people around. That afternoon had been an anomaly because they were just so happy having declared their love for one another that they didn't care about their normal inhibitions. It wasn't like they were around people they would ever see again anyway. The two teenagers looked at the clock and realized that school was just about to let out for the day.<p>

"You know Akane", Ranma said with a smirk on his face, 'I'm tempted to leave Nerima forever assuming you would come with me. It was so liberating not having to worry about anything weird happening earlier. It would really be nice if that was the norm instead of a rare event."

"I know Ranma", the raven haired girl said as she sighed heavily, "but I just can't abandon my family and friends here. Could you? We should really finish high school as well."

"We could go to school somewhere else, but you're right", the black haired boy replied. "There is also the fact that neither one of us has a lot of money. We would have to get jobs and find a place to live."

"Maybe we should get part time jobs anyway", Akane replied, "I know I wouldn't mind having some extra spending money. We have some time before dinner, why don't we do that right now?"

Ranma nodded and the two of them walked away from the train station and headed down the main road that would lead them to the commercial district. On their way there, Akane decided she didn't care if someone saw them holding hands and raven haired girl slipped her hand into Ranma's larger one and intertwined their fingers. The black haired boy smiled and relished the softness of his girlfriend's hand in his own. The two teenagers wandered around for awhile and inquired about employment opportunities at the various businesses they came across.

"You know Ranma", Akane said as they walked along, "I don't know if we should work together or not. I mean we live in the same house and have most of the same classes together already. I'm just afraid we might get sick of one another even if we are getting along a lot better now."

Ranma nodded his head and said, "Maybe. It would allow us to work someplace that interests us too. For instance you might like to work in a library whereas I probably wouldn't, unless of course I could get paid to read magnas."

Akane smiled softly as the two of them walked by an advertisement posted on a telephone pole. They walked over to see what it was for thinking maybe it would be something interesting. After reading a few sentences they looked at one another with a grimace on their faces and said simultaneously, "No way."

The two teenagers laughed and shook their heads as they walked away still hand in hand. The sign in question had been an advertisement for the Nekohanten. Cologne and company were apparently looking for another waitress or two as well as a dishwasher to ease the burden due to their increased volume of business.

Akane frowned in distaste as she thought, '_I hope they enjoy the boycott assuming it's effective. I am so sick of them and wish they would just go back to China where they belong. Maybe the lawsuit will help with that._'

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kasumi hummed to herself as she walked towards the market district in order to get what she would need for dinner that evening. It would seem she would buy enough stuff so she'd only have to go to the market once a week or so. Truth be told though, she enjoyed the walk and being away from the house for awhile. She was able to talk to the different vendors and shoppers and it was a way for her to stay connected with a world she rarely saw otherwise.<p>

As she went from stall to stall, the eldest Tendo daughter sighed as she thought about her dreams from ages past. She had wanted to go to the university and become a doctor so she could help those that needed it. When she was in high school, not that long ago really, she had the nickname of Doctor Tendo because she would fix up anyone that looked like they were injured. Even though Ranma, Kuno and the other lunatics weren't there yet, people still got hurt doing regular sports and things so she was there and liked helping them out.

Kasumi was actually quite smart and knew that she could catch up in short order if she gave herself a chance. It was one reason why she had borrowed so many books from Doctor Tofu so that she could maintain her studies without the benefit of a classroom and homework. The eldest daughter giggled slightly when she realized she had more trauma experience than a lot of second year nurses with how often the Saotome males and the others around Nerima got hurt.

The brown haired woman paused for a second when she pictured the goofy doctor dancing around with his skeleton he had named Betty. She shook her head at the man's eccentricities and tried to push him out of her mind. The young doctor left months ago and had never really shown any interest in her so why should she care? She did care though and wished she could see him again if nothing else to get an explanation of why he acted like such a clown.

All she would need is some help and understanding from her family and she could go to university during the fall term. Kasumi hoped they would let her out of the live in maid shell of her real self and not put up too much of a fuss. She loved her family dearly, but she really needed to get out and do something for herself. Nabiki would be moving out next term as she too would be starting university. She wondered if Genma and Nodoka would return home once their house was rebuilt. If so that would leave just Ranma, Akane and Soun living at the Tendo estate and since the two youngsters weren't married, that would be highly inappropriate. She also feared that without herself or Nodoka there that they might have trouble feeding themselves.

Kasumi stopped walking and berated herself heatedly, '_No no no! They are adults or will be soon enough and they can fend for themselves. It's pass time for them to learn how to take care of themselves. I need to do this for me! I have put my dreams on hold for long enough._'

The eldest daughter sighed, wondering when she would talk to her family about her wishes. There really wasn't a reason to delay any longer if she really wanted to break free and move on with her life. Kasumi sighed as she carried in a couple of bags of groceries and set them on the counter in the kitchen. The eldest Tendo daughter put a kettle on one of the burners so she could make some tea for herself while she put the groceries away.

* * *

><p>Akane and Ranma walked into the Tendo estate and released one another's hand. It just wouldn't do for <em>them <em>to know about their relationship yet. Even though her father had said they wouldn't try to throw another wedding until after the other fiancées were dealt with, Akane wasn't sure she could trust them. Generally, the less the two fathers knew the better for just about everyone.

"We're home", the two youngest teenagers called out as they took off their shoes in the entryway.

"Welcome home you two", Nodoka said from the couch as she sipped her tea and set down a magazine. "Did you have a good day at school?"

"It was fine", Akane said evasively, not wanting to lie to the older woman but not ready to confess that they had in fact skipped school. Ranma merely nodded, figuring anything he said would likely get them in trouble rather than help, especially since it was his mother asking the question.

While Akane went upstairs to change out of her school uniform as well as restore her school bag back to normal, Ranma searched the house for Kasumi. Now that the two of them confessed to one another it was time to take care another obstacle to his happiness and prayed it wouldn't blow up in his face. Truth of the matter was he had allowed it go on much too long. Even way back when it started and didn't like the tomboy as much he really should have put a definite stop to it. The problem was that Akane never believed anything but the worst and what she wanted to believe when he had tried to stop Ryoga from masquerading as P-chan.

He knew he needed to tell all three of the Tendo sisters about the cursed lost boy, but in order to avoid being blackmailed by Nabiki and killed by Akane, he decided to go to the eldest. She was so soft and gentle he didn't worry about her trying to hurt him and might even understand though naturally she would still be angry. He had allowed an intolerable situation to continue and it was time to face to the consequences. Ranma hoped it wouldn't ruin his new relationship with Akane, but there was no choice now. If he ignored it and hoped with went away she would be all that more angry, hurt and betrayed later.

Ranma finally found the eldest Tendo in her room and knocked quietly.

Kasumi looked up from her book that she was reading in bed and smiled, "Hello there Ranma, did you have a good day today?"

Ah, a question he could answer truthfully. The pony tailed youth smiled and said, "Yeah I did, how was your day?"

"I walked around town for awhile to get away from the house. It was nice actually", Kasumi said and then paused. "Now that the pleasantries are out of the way, what's wrong?"

Ranma blinked and sighed. Apparently the eldest sister had a knack for seeing right through him no matter how well he tried to mask his body language and nervousness. "W-Why do you think there is something wrong?"

"I know you too well Ranma", Kasumi replied with a mischievous wink and continued, "Come over here and sit on the bed. Tell me what's troubling you."

"You're right Kasumi, I do want to talk to you. Mind if I close the door? It's a private manner I want to discuss", Ranma said nervously. At Kasumi's verbal affirmative, he closed the door and then walked over towards the brown haired woman's bed and sat down. He clasped his hands in his lap and looked down at the mattress attempting to gather his thoughts.

"I have a confession to make. I know you'll be upset and I hate myself for allowing it to fester so long, but I need to come clean about a certain topic", Ranma said somewhat cryptically. "I was also hoping of the three of you, you would be the most understanding and could maybe help me with other two, especially Akane. Her temper is better now but she still might want to kill me when she finds out."

"Oh my!", Kasumi exclaimed with a hand over her mouth. "What could be so horrible that she would want to kill you? Before you answer that though, why is this so important now all of a sudden that it wasn't so important then?"

"It was important then", Ranma replied as he cast his eyes downward, "I was just too much of a coward to do what really needed to be done. I was afraid she would hate me. Problem is if I had just dealt with it better then I wouldn't have to worry about her hating me now, which is a very real possibility. Kasumi, there is something else you should know before I say what's bothering me and maybe you'll understand why I really have to do this now and not later and why she might hate me more now than then."

Kasumi reached forward and wrapped the cursed boy into her arms and said, "I am here Ranma. I promise I will listen and try to be understanding. When you can find the words let them out and I'll see if I can help."

"Thanks", Ranma replied and sighed. "This morning Akane and I skipped school and went to the Meiji Shrine in Shibuya. When we were approaching the school grounds we saw that the Hentai Horde had reformed and we, more her though, didn't want to deal with those idiots today so we didn't. While we were out of Nerima, we confessed our love for one another and kissed. This has truly been a wonderful day and I would hate to see it ruined. Even more I would hate to see our relationship disappear because of a mistake I made long ago."

Kasumi nodded and smiled. "I'm so glad you two finally told each other how you really felt. It's been a long time coming."

"Finally", Nabiki said as she walked in.

Kasumi frowned at the intrusion and said, "Nabiki, this is a private conversation and you really shouldn't be eavesdropping. It's no wonder they kept it to themselves for so long since they have to worry about someone overhearing every second of every day."

"This isn't anything we all didn't already know though", Nabiki said nonchalantly as she shrugged her shoulders.

"That doesn't make it right", Kasumi chided. "This was a huge step for both of them, you know that. Sure we knew Ranma and Akane cared for one another long before Jusendo in one way or another but they finally admitted it to themselves. Don't trivialize such events."

"Well", Ranma said slowly. "She might as well stay for the second secret."

"Are you sure?", Kasumi asked, concern clearly showing in her brown eyes. Nabiki's eyebrows rose in curiosity at the notion that Ranma and Akane skipping school, confessing their love and kissing wasn't the big secret. What could it be? The middle Tendo closed the door and walked over towards the bed. Whatever it was it had to be good if he was afraid Akane would kill him for it despite their new status.

"Yeah", the pony tailed youth said slowly and sighed. "Do you remember back when I first came here the first time Ryoga attacked at night?" Both of the Tendo girls nodded. "I found out why he wanted revenge on me so badly. When he failed for three days to show up for our duel and Pops knocked me out to go to China, Ryoga followed us. I don't know how he did it considering how easily he gets lost but he followed us all the way to Jusenkyo. While we were there I inadvertently knocked him off a cliff into one of the cursed pools."

"Oh Kami-sama", Nabiki said as the blood drained from her face in realization. Kasumi nodded her head and frowned, understanding the magnitude of the problem Ranma was now facing. While it didn't explain why he had kept it a secret for so long, it did put him in a very precarious position of now telling his girlfriend that she had been sleeping with a boy for nearly two years that she didn't even know was a boy.

"Ryoga is P-chan", Ranma said slowly, preparing for the worst and hearing only silence after Nabiki's statement.

"I am so sorry and I will do whatever it takes to atone for my actions in keeping it secret", Ranma said as he kowtowed in front of both sisters on the bed. "I don't think I can make it up to you two and I am pretty sure I can't make it up to Akane. If you all want me to leave this house and never step foot in it again, I will. I don't deserve to live here when I have allowed that dishonorable pig to take advantage of your little sister. I tried to give her clues about P-chan's real identity but she never caught on. I should have made certain. I didn't say anything straight out because I thought I owed it to him to keep it secret when I knocked him off the cliff."

"Ranma", Kasumi said sternly, "First of all it was his fault for not showing up for your duel and again when he followed you to China. The curse is not your fault." The eldest sister's tone turned sharper. "However, keeping it a secret like this, and for so long, definitely shows a profound lack of judgment and respect. You have allowed a boy to dishonor my little sister and I will need time to decide your fate. You will eat dinner with the family and behave as though nothing has changed. You will not tell Akane about P-chan tonight or at all. Is that understood?"

The black haired boy slowly raised his head and looked at the Tendo sisters in surprise and nodded. They wanted to hide it from their sister? No, more likely Kasumi wanted to be the one to break it to Akane since she could do so in a caring manner and wouldn't be the target of her anger and hurt. Ranma wasn't sure he could handle the look of betrayal on his girlfriend's face.

"Tomorrow", Kasumi said, voice edged in steel, "I will pronounce judgment and sentence you for your actions. I know you are old enough to know that every action has a consequence and this will be no different."

However", The eldest sister's voice softened at this point, "Thank you for telling us the truth rather than letting us discover it accidentally. Since you are willing to accept the consequences, including banishment, I see you are indeed growing up and are willing to take responsibility for your decisions. You should have told us the next day at the latest that Ryoga and P-chan were the same, especially after Akane adopted him as a pet. As for Ryoga, do not concern yourself with him, his punishment will be Akane's right since she is the one most grievously wronged."

"Ranma", Kasumi said gently, almost sisterly, "I really don't know if she will be able to forgive you for this. I don't wish to worry you, but you have to be prepared for the fact that you might not have a girlfriend tomorrow night. I'm sorry."

"I will have a punishment in mind for you tomorrow as well Ranma", Nabiki said sternly as she crossed her arms over her chest and smirked, '_You are going to be my model for a month or two Ranma in both of your forms. While P-chan didn't really do anything to me, this is too good of an opportunity to pass up and you did hurt my family._'

"I don't think I am going to be hungry for dinner tonight after all", Ranma said slowly.

"Tough", Nabiki replied acidly, "You are to act like you normally would and Ranma never skips a meal. This is part of your punishment and we don't want anyone thinking that something weird is going on."

"Tell me something Ranma", Kasumi said softly, shooting a glance at her sister, "You have been honest with us tonight correct?" Ranma nodded, wondering what the eldest sister was getting at. "Then you really do love my sister. Are you willing to marry her, stay with her, forsaking all others no matter what happens?"

"I love her Kasumi, with all of my heart and soul", Ranma replied as his eyes shimmered and tears tracked down his face. "I don't know what I would do if I lost her. I don't think I could go on living without her as she means everything to me. I do want to marry her but only if we truly love one another and not because of family honor or a promise made twenty years ago."

"Do you love her enough to marry her right now?", Kasumi asked, much to the surprise of the other two occupants of the room. "I don't mean we get a priest in here and actually marry you two this second. Do you, Ranma Saotome, love my sister enough that if it was now or never, would you marry her now without hesitation and without doubt?"

"Yes", Ranma replied without hesitation and with conviction in his voice.

"Then I don't think you have to worry about her hating you", Kasumi replied with a brilliant smile on her face. "Yes you made a colossal mistake but if you two truly love one another then you will get through this. Your relationship will survive and you will become stronger together. Do not expect her to forgive you immediately or even for a week or so. You will need patience in order to avoid driving her away. Her trust in you is going to be badly shaken, dare I say broken, but I will do what I can to help you two get through this."

"Thank you", Ranma said as he kowtowed on the bed again.

"Enough of that Saotome", Nabiki said with a sarcastic grin on her face. "We're not deities or Empresses or anything. Now get out of here you lunkhead."

Ranma chuckled lightly and nodded slowly as he left Kasumi's room. They may be ordinary girls but they held his fate in their hands. It would be a simple matter for either one of them to spin the situation in such a way that Akane would hate him forever. The tomboy might anyway even with them actually trying to help. The pony tailed youth didn't know what he would do if he was forced to leave or if he lost Akane's love. It was something he really didn't want to think about but was a very real possibility.

* * *

><p>Dinner was a quiet affair for the Tendo-Saotome families as everyone seemed to be lost in their own thoughts. Kasumi was troubled but no one would know it by looking at her. The eldest daughter's face was the perfect picture of serenity. She wondered if it would be a good time to announce her intentions of going to university in the fall or hold her tongue until after the P-chan situation was taken care of. She looked over at Nabiki and noticed the middle Tendo had a scowl on her face. Kasumi looked over at Akane who seemed to be in a good mood and was eating normally unlike her fiancé who was barely eating at all and looked depressed. She sighed knowing what was weighing on the black haired boy's mind and the trouble looming on the horizon. Nodoka seemed oblivious that anything was amidst and the fathers were too busy carrying on about going to the public baths and a bar to possibly notice the tension in the air.<p>

Akane looked over at her pony tailed fiancé and frowned, wondering what could be bothering her boyfriend. He barely looked at her, hardly ate much of anything and just kept quiet. Was he having second thoughts about them being a couple? Was he mad again because P-chan was around and in her room? Why did Ranma seem to hate her pet so much, it never made any sense to her. Perhaps she could talk to him about it after dinner on the roof and find out once and for all what was wrong. The raven haired girl reached out and placed her left hand on Ranma's leg underneath the table and smiled at him when he turned at the touch. Her smile evaporated though seeing his pained expression. Something was definitely wrong.

Kasumi noted the exchange and cast a worried glance over at her mercenary sister, wondering if perhaps they should tell Akane about P-chan tonight instead. Nabiki shook her head hoping that Ranma would get out of his funk so that her little sister could enjoy at least the rest of the day with her boyfriend, before he might become an ex.

The middle Tendo noticed the look on Ranma's face and scowled as she said, "Ranma, I want to talk to you after dinner, alone. Meet me upstairs in my room."

"Why?", Ranma replied before taking another bite of his dinner and ate slowly, not having much of an appetite due to his imminent doom. He knew he was breaking the elder sisters' mandate that he act normally so the others wouldn't know something was wrong but he couldn't get himself to pretend things were fine. The black haired boy sighed and knew Akane was worried, the look she had given him before told him she knew something was wrong. Apparently Nabiki wanted to remind him of that and had some choice words for him that she didn't want the others to hear.

"It's in your own best interest…", Nabiki said silkily as she smirked, "Trust me."

Ranma regarded the middle Tendo warily as his danger sense pricked and he wondered what sort of scheme or blackmail she had come up with now. Akane had told him that they could trust the short haired money grubbing extortionist but he wasn't so sure. He really wasn't sure now and knew he had to be careful. The pony tailed youth looked over at Akane and noticed a change in her facial expressions too, a wariness that perhaps she shouldn't have trusted her older sister after all. Ranma felt a gentle squeeze of his hand underneath the table and looked at his fiancée in gratitude. The raven haired girl smiled in response and nodded her head slightly.

The exchange wasn't lost on any of the females and Nabiki smirked even more. The mercenary figured that Ranma thought she was going to yell at him about his behavior and he was right but the rest of the household didn't need to know anything was amidst.

"Ranma", Nabiki said firmly, "Go up to my room now, I will be there in a minute."

Ranma nodded and trudged upstairs looking like a man on his way to the gallows. It was no coincidence that he also _felt_ like a man heading for his doom. The pony tailed young man stepped into Nabiki's room and shuddered. This was the place of nightmares, where blackmail and hidden plots were born, ready to swallow him up in one form or another.

* * *

><p>Nabiki walked in a minute later and closed the door softly as Akane slipped into her own room. The middle Tendo spun around and said a little louder than needed, "Ranma, don't you remember what I told you earlier? You were <em>supposed<em> to be acting like you usually do so no one would get suspicious. That little stunt you pulled earlier at dinner is intolerable and Akane clearly knows something is wrong. I know my little sister and she will try to get it out of you tonight, mark my words. If you value your life you will tell her nothing and let Kasumi take care of it tomorrow. She will be able to diffuse the situation a thousand times better than you can. Once she has broken the news to Akane you will have to talk to her if you want any chance at salvaging your relationship. You've really screwed up this time Saotome. Personally I think you are sunk but perhaps my baby sister will forgive you. I'm not so sure I could."

"I know", Ranma said, a bit too softly for the youngest Tendo to hear.

Akane remained crouched by the wall as she set down the glass she was using to eavesdrop on Nabiki's lecture. The raven haired girl wasn't sure what to feel. She felt angry, confused and hurt because Ranma was hiding something from her that both of her sisters knew about. She wondered what could possibly be so horrible that they needed Kasumi to talk to her first to diffuse the situation. Then there was that bit about it threatening their budding relationship. Something that in Nabiki's opinion anyway, that was pretty much unforgivable.

Her gaze wandered over towards the little black pig that was asleep on her bed and she began to wonder if it could possibly have anything to do with P-chan. Ranma was always chasing the pig around trying to get it out of her room at night. He seemed to hate the pig, why? Was he acting like a lunatic because he was jealous or was he actually trying to protect her from something? Was P-chan a Jusenkyo curse victim? She knew plenty of people cursed to turn into animals so why not a pot bellied pig. She looked at the pig's neckerchief a little closer and wondered at the similarity between it and Ryoga's bandanas. Maybe P-chan was the lost boy's pet but because he was always wandering he couldn't take care of him. That didn't make sense though because if that were the case, Ryoga would have asked her. She would have accepted without hesitation and P-chan would always be around. The pig seemed to disappear for weeks on end, just like Ryoga. Ranma was always calling the fang toothed martial artist Mr. P or P-chan. He would also call Ryoga pig boy, pork butt, or other pig related names. Could it be that Ryoga and P-chan were in fact, one in the same?

Akane shook her head in an effort to clear the strange line of thinking. She was pretty sure she knew Ryoga. The guy was horribly shy around girls and was too much of a gentleman to be such a dishonorable pervert. Still, those questions along with Ranma's strange behavior planted a seed in her mind that she wouldn't be able to avoid thinking about. Pushing those thoughts aside, she left her room in order to find her boyfriend as she still wanted to talk to him that night. Maybe she could get some answers out of him in regards to what Nabiki was yelling about.

The raven haired girl wandered around the house and found no trace of Ranma anywhere. Finally she decided to check one of his favorite thinking places, the roof. She climbed up and noticed him sitting over her bedroom apparently lost in thought.

Akane smiled and sat next to her boyfriend and said, "Hiya stranger, is this seat taken?"

Ranma didn't respond at first as he stared at the waning gibbous moon and breathed in deeply, trying to steady his nerves. He turned to look at her and offered her a ghost of a smile and said, "Always room for you tomboy."

The youngest Tendo smiled and sat down next to him as she wrapped her arm around his back. She leaned her head onto his shoulder as he put an arm around her in response. Akane said softly, "This is nice, the two of us up here all alone under the peaceful night sky."

Ranma smiled sadly and replied, "Yeah it is."

The raven haired girl squeezed the black haired boy sitting next to her and felt content just enjoying the moment. Whatever he was hiding could wait as she enjoyed the last few minutes with her boyfriend if the secret was truly horrifying. What was so horrible that Kasumi was going to break the news to her since it would be easier on her than if Ranma did it? Was he planning on breaking up with her?

"Ranma", Akane said at last in a serious tone as she moved away from him a little. She wanted to look into Ranma's eyes for this conversation and asked, "What are you hiding from me that Nabiki and Kasumi know about?"

Ranma knew he was dead and Nabiki had warned him this would happen. He wasn't sure what to do. The black haired boy couldn't deny it because Akane definitely knew something was wrong but Kasumi had forbidden him from telling her about P-chan. She claimed it would be better if it came from her rather than him first.

"I'm sorry Akane", Ranma said gently as he cast his eyes down and looked at the roof tiles, "I can't tell you as much as I'd like to. Kasumi told me not to tell you and that she would handle it tomorrow night."

Akane looked at her housemate and sighed. There was no going against Kasumi but she still thought she could get some useful information despite what her sister had said. She forced her emotions down and her eyes shimmered despite her efforts as she asked in a small voice, "Are you breaking up with me?"

Ranma looked at his girlfriend in shock and shook his head as he said, "No, definitely not. Actually I am really hoping that after this is over you'll still want me to be your boyfriend. I'm actually afraid you'll hate me and never want to speak to me again. I am prepared to face banishment as punishment but I think I would rather die than face a world where I was never able to see or hold you again. I love you too damned much to leave you but I may not have the choice."

"What could possibly be so terrible?", Akane mused aloud before she gasped, having finally caught Ranma's statement about dying if he couldn't see her anymore. The raven haired girl looked up into her boyfriend's shimmering blue eyes and wiped his tears away as she said softly, "I love you Ranma, I always will even if I am mad at you for whatever it is you have done or haven't done."

'_Oh you'll be mad at me alright_', Ranma thought despondently, '_I just hope you don't break up with me. It would be more merciful to kill me in that case. Ryoga deserves whatever you do to him but I was so stupid to go along with this for so long…_'

"I hope you'll remember that feeling tomorrow", the black haired boy said self loathingly as a tear fell from his eyes and rolled down his cheek before splattering on the roof. "No matter what happens Akane, I'll always love you. Please believe that and hold onto that in your heart."

'_What could be hurting him so badly?_', Akane wondered to herself as she wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. Ranma wrapped his arms around her and rubbed her back with his strong hands. He had no idea if he would ever be able to comfort the tomboy like this ever again and was determined not to waste the opportunity.

Akane released her boyfriend and went back to sitting next to him and the two them held hands as they talked about various light topics and gazed into the evening sky. The temperature was a little chilly but they felt warm holding onto one another as they gazed into the starry night. A shooting star passed overhead and Ranma watched in fascination as the glittering stardust sprinkled out of the comet's tail.

'_Please Kami-sama_', Ranma thought desperately to himself, '_Please help Akane and me through this difficult time we will face tomorrow. I was wrong to hide P-chan from her, I know that but I pray she doesn't hate me. Please let us stay together. I will make it up to her somehow I beg you…_'

Akane clasped her hands in front of her chest as she watched the shooting star in awe and thought, '_Kami-sama, please help Ranma and me in this difficult time ahead. I don't know what the secret is but please help us face it together and remain a couple. I would miss him/her too much and I don't want to see us split apart for any reason. Please I beg of you, help me do whatever it takes so we can stay together._'

The two teenagers looked at one another with tears in their eyes and hugged one another with a ferocity more like that of a married couple separating because one of the spouses was heading off to war. Whatever it was, they wanted to face it together.

Akane scooted closer and cupped her boyfriend's face with her hands and leaned forward in order to kiss him. Ranma's eyes widened for a second before he mentally slapped himself and leaned forward in order to meet his fiancée in the middle. Their lips touched softly for a brief moment before both of them pressed forward and turned their chaste kiss into something more passionate and demanding. Ranma's hands reached around his girlfriend's back and pulled her closer to him so that she was sitting in his lap with her arms around his neck.

They sat there kissing for a few minutes until Ranma felt his arousal starting to get away from him and broke off the kiss. Akane frown in disappointment but then noticed the tent in his pants and scampered off his lap blushing furiously. He groaned at the loss of contact and cursed his body for betraying him so easily. He looked over at his tomboy and noticed that she didn't even look particularly phased and yet he was about to have an embarrassing accident.

"Um Ranma?", Akane said hesitantly as she pointed at the tent that threatened to burst through his boxers and pants, "You should probably do something about that."

"I know", Ranma replied, disappointment evident in his voice. Sometimes he envied girls in how well they could hide their arousals whereas his was rather obvious. He smirked as he thought for just a moment as the answer to his problem was just a splash of water away.

"Ranma, what?", Akane asked in confusion as she watched her boyfriend jump off the roof. She burst out laughing when she saw him jump into the Koi pond and shook her head as she thought amusingly to herself, '_Well, that's one way to take care of it._'

The red haired girl jumped back onto the roof and grinned as she said, "You know, sometimes having this female body really does come in handy."

Akane rolled her eyes at her fiancé's antics and embraced her red haired friend, not caring that she was wet. Ranma started to protest when suddenly she found her girlfriend's lips capturing her own. The raven haired girl relished in the softness of the smaller girl's lips as opposed to the firmer ones that Ranma's male form had. Like that afternoon, she felt her inner core ignite and a soft reddish aura surrounded her body as the two girls continued to kiss each other nearly senseless. Akane wondered at how her passion seemed to burn so easily when Ranma was a girl and not when he was a guy. Was it that she was physically attracted to Ranma's male form but emotionally connected to his female form?

"I love you Ranma", Akane said breaking the kiss as she gasped for air and gazed into her red-head's beautiful blue eyes.

"I love you too Akane", Ranma replied, equally needing to breath as she found herself getting lost in her girlfriend's warm chocolate eyes.

"We should get inside now", Akane said sadly as she held her girlfriend's hands in her own. "It's too cold out here to be standing around in wet clothes and I want to end tonight on a positive note. Don't worry about tomorrow, the sun will rise and we'll be together again."

Akane quirked a smile and kissed Ranma one last time on the lips as she said teasingly, "Good night girlfriend."

Ranma smiled at the remark and replied, "Good night Akane."

As Akane turned to walk away Ranma's eyes lit up as she remembered something her girlfriend did to her a few days previously and grinned mischievously. The red haired girl quickly caught up to her fiancée and playfully slapped her on the ass.

The raven haired girl turned around and gasped in shock for a moment but then started giggling as she remember doing the same thing herself. Ranma laughed softly and smiled playfully as she waved. Akane waved back and grinned, happy that the two of them were able to play around with one another.

* * *

><p>Akane climbed into her room through her window and closed the curtains so that no one could see her change. She stripped off her wet clothes and changed into some yellow pajamas that had pigs on them and sat on her bed. The youngest Tendo sighed heavily and crawled under the covers, her thoughts bouncing around her mind like a demented game of pong. The raven haired girl wasn't quite sure what to make of her feelings that seemed to be all over the place lately.<p>

It seemed as if in her mind Ranma was separating into two different people being held together by a single thread. What if that really happened and Ranma actually was split in half, would she stay with the male because he was the original and what society would accept? Would she leave the male and embrace the female, the feisty little red-head she had fallen for and really wanted to be with? Would she go back to disliking the male or would he continue to have a place in her heart while the female half filled the vast majority of it?

Akane closed her eyes and buried her head in her pillow as more and more questions ran through her mind. Questions, with so few answers. She felt safe in Ranma's presence, regardless of form and liked holding hands with both him and her, so that wasn't a problem. No, the issue came with kissing. Where was the fiery passion they had shared that afternoon? Was it because they were both girls? Perhaps it was because of the thrill of violating a social norm about displaying public affection. Would she have felt that same charge if Ranma had been a guy at the time or was it really because they were both girls?

Her left hand rose to her lips as she remembered Ranma's kisses and thought wistfully, '_That was really nice. Kissing male Ranma was interesting but I think I like kissing her lips a lot better. They are a lot softer, not to mention they taste better too. Every time I kiss her I feel an inner spark as though we are kissing with our souls. I didn't feel that when I was kissing him in fact it felt hollow. They are both Ranma but why do I feel a lot more passionate and aroused when I am kissing her?_ _I love Ranma, I know that much but do I really love him? I know I love her, but do I love him…_'

'_I know you are confused my daughter. Trust your heart and you will find what you are really looking for…_'

* * *

><p>The next morning Akane awoke with a sense of foreboding knowing something was wrong. She tried to put it out of her mind though as there was nothing she could do about it until that evening when Kasumi finally told her what it was. Since the secret had to do with Ranma the raven haired girl decided she would go on her morning run alone in an attempt to clear her mind in the cool morning air.<p>

As she jogged on the various walls she had already mastered her thoughts drifted back to the evening before and how she had kissed Ranma in both of his forms and her reactions. Akane still didn't understand why she felt so hollow kissing Ranma's male form and so energized and passionate kissing his female form.

Perhaps it had to do with how much mistrust she had for guys in general for so long because of Kuno and the Hentai Horde. She felt a lot more guarded and reserved when she was kissing Ranma's male form. Conversely, she opened herself up entirely to Ranma's female form and was able to enjoy it a great deal more. Her passion took on a visual manifestation with the red, white and pink aura she projected when she kissed the little red-head. Maybe she just needed time, after all it wasn't like she was used to kissing anyone. Perhaps the more they kissed one another in both of his forms she could come to accept his male kisses as easily as his female ones and she could show more passion to his male side.

Akane hoped that whatever the secret was it could be dealt with before their camping trip that coming weekend. She was really looking forward to the training and spending some quality alone time with her girlfriend. She'd want to spend it with her boyfriend too and get more comfortable around Ranma's male form but Kasumi would never let them go unless Ranma promised he would stay in female form the entire time. Perhaps Ranma could be male if Kasumi came along as a chaperon. Akane grumbled a little under her breath, "A third wheel is more like it."

* * *

><p>Awhile later, Akane and Ranma were walking hand in hand towards the school talking about one thing or another. They were still smarting from the reprimand Kasumi had given them about skipping school and wanted them to promise to go that morning. Akane told her sisters why they had and weren't sorry that they did. It had brought the two of them closer because they were able to finally confess their feelings to one another away from the craziness of Nerima. Nabiki as usual had gone on ahead in order to check in with her lieutenants and to take care of her various schemes and operations.<p>

*ring ring*

Ranma and Akane turned to look up and sighed as a certain bubbly Amazon sped towards them on her bicycle on top of the thin fence. The black haired boy narrowed his eyes and released his girlfriend's hand. Akane backed up slightly and wondered how her companion would handle the latest intrusion into their morning.

The Saotome heir cupped his hands together as a ball of Ki appeared between his palms. He aimed at Shampoo's bicycle of death with a smirk on his face as he thought, '_You aren't going to flatten me with that thing this time._'

The red energy bolt lanced out from his hands and streaked directly towards the bicycle. Shampoo's eyes widened in surprise at the unexpected attack but couldn't dodge in time. She didn't stop moving though when her mode of transportation suddenly became useless as the energy blast mangled the frame of the bicycle. The Amazon flew off the bike and landed in the canal that bordered the sidewalk and changed into a lavender cat.

Ranma shrugged and continued on towards the school, not wanting to see Shampoo's cursed form. Akane ran up to him and the two of them walked away without looking back. The two teenagers knew a day of craziness was unavoidable now. They knew they were going to have to deal with Kuno and Ukyo at least, but apparently Shampoo had decided to wreck their day as well.

"I've never seen you attack Shampoo like that before, not that she doesn't deserve it after all those Amazon glomps she's given you", Akane said quietly as they rounded a corner of the street the ladle lady lived on.

"I'm not going to hold back anymore", Ranma sighed heavily, "She crossed the line when she threatened to kill you in China, not to mention that exploding food the other day. I'm tired of their games and I'm not going to play around with them anymore."

"Ranma", Akane said softly, "Could you just ignore them for awhile instead of fighting with them?"

The black haired boy stopped, confusion clearly visible on his face as he asked, "What? I should have gotten rid of them months ago and now that I finally am, you want me to do nothing?"

"Yes", Akane said as she sighed. "You see, Kasumi, Nabiki and I have a plan in motion that we think will get rid of them without having to throw a single punch and it'll ultimately be more satisfying. We're planning on a massive boycott of their restaurant and after a suitable amount of time has passed, we're going to hit them with a lawsuit for damages and harassment."

Akane bit her lip and wondered if she should mention that Ukyo was also a target of the plan but decided against telling her boyfriend for now. She would wait until she saw how Ranma treated his old friend first. The raven haired girl knew he would have no problem with Kodachi being targeting but Ukyo was a wild card because of their prior friendship.

Ranma thought about his girlfriend's words while he took a detour around the ladle lady's house and then returned to Akane's side a half a block later. The black haired boy slipped his hand into hers again and said, "I take it you are going to try to take down Ukyo as well? After all, she is just as guilty of throwing bombs at your dojo and she owns a restaurant too."

The raven haired girl sighed as she thought, '_So much for not telling him about that. I'm not going to lie to him though, we've done too much of that in the past. I really don't want to wreck our budding relationship with something like that anyway since he is likely to find out soon._'

"Ranma", Akane said as she embraced him gently and sighed, "I'm sorry, but yes, we're going after Ukyo and the Kunos as well."

"Why are you sorry?", Ranma asked as he raised an eyebrow in curiosity, "She destroyed your dojo with her okinomiyaki bombs and has tried to come between us far too many times to be excluded from your plan."

"I thought she was your friend", Akane replied softly as she looked deep into her boyfriend's blue eyes.

"She was once but she's crossed the line too", Ranma replied tiredly. "What kind of friend does the kinds of things she has done to someone they claim to love? It's not like she really cares about me anyway. All she cares about is winning me like I am a prize to be won so she can show me off to the rest of you. She wants me to give up my martial arts dream and work in her restaurant. Pfft, as if. She's just as selfish as Shampoo and Kodachi and I'm sick of it."

"You however, as far as I know, have never tried to control, trick, or dictate my life", Ranma said softly and suddenly in a much better mood. "Despite everything we have said and done to one another for so long, you've always been there for me willing to help out in any way that you could even though I usually protested at the time. I don't think I have ever thanked you for that but it is one of the reasons I love you."

Akane smiled and embraced her boyfriend tightly and said, "I love you too Ranma."

Ranma and Akane looked deep into one another's eyes for a minute longing to kiss the other but knew they shouldn't, not in public and definitely not near school. They sighed heavily and separated their hands and continued walking towards the front gates.

They stopped and looked at the school grounds expecting to see a group of boys in sports equipment milling about but saw nothing of the sort. They looked at each other and breathed a sigh of relief and then laughed quietly. They still expected to deal with Kuno but oddly enough he wasn't behind the tree he usually was either. Raising an eyebrow and thinking that perhaps the Furinkan High male population was trying a new tactic, they walked into the courtyard carefully, prepared to be attacked any second. When nothing happened they shrugged their shoulders and walked into the school building. They were confused but they certainly weren't going to look a gift horse in the mouth.

* * *

><p>Akane and Ranma walked into their first period class and were immediately swarmed by students asking if they were still engaged and why they weren't at school the day before. They confirmed that they were in fact still engaged because of the family mandate that the Saotome and Tendo clans were to be joined but refused to elaborate much to Hikaru Gosunkugi's displeasure. The two of them really didn't want it to be public knowledge that they were an item because they wanted to be. As for why they weren't at school, they said that they didn't feel like dealing with Kuno and the Horde so they skipped but were busted by her older sister. They promised to be there that day no matter what happened. Ranma and Akane ignored Ukyo when she walked in and resumed talking with their respective friends.<p>

The two teenagers tried their best not to steal glances at the other throughout the morning classes. They really didn't want anyone to know just how well they were getting along but found it impossible to keep their eyes off one another. Finally the bell rang for lunch and Ranma bolted out of the classroom not wanting to deal with Hiroshi, Daisuke and figuring the raven haired girl would want to eat with her girl friends. Akane watched him go and frowned until she realized that he was giving her time to be with her friends without making a nuisance of himself.

Akane, Yuka and Sayuri walked downstairs and sat underneath the tree they usually ate under. It was a beautiful February day outside as the sun was shining brightly and there were very few clouds in the sky. There was just enough of a breeze to be comfortable without causing a chill.

The youngest Tendo was tempted to tell her friends everything that had happened the previous day but held her tongue. The last thing she needed was someone eavesdropping and ruining things. Instead they made small talk and discussed plans for the up coming week and weekend. Akane informed them that she planned to go on a training trip and the two non-martial artists rolled their eyes and sighed. Yuka and Sayuri were hoping to go shopping or something with their friend.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Ranma sat on top of the roof and watched over the courtyard hoping nothing would happen. His gaze fell upon his fiancée and her two girl friends and sighed. He watched as she laughed at something or another and felt a pang of jealousy hit him. Hiroshi and Daisuke were decent guys but they always wanted to know if he had done anything with any of his fiancées. He was so tired of being a source for gossip material and not a person. Why couldn't he have talks where he could let himself go and laugh like Akane and her friends.<p>

Some distant thought appeared in his mind that asked, '_Could her friends become my friends too? It would be so liberating if I could just talk to people without being hounded about my sex life and other inappropriate things. I probably wouldn't be able to join them as a guy though. I'd ask Akane about it but I doubt she'll want to be anywhere near me when the P-chan secret blows up tonight._'

The pony tailed martial artist sighed longingly and ate his lunch slowly as he continued to watch Akane and her friends carrying on without a care in the world. Ranma tensed a few moments later when he sensed a presence he didn't want to deal with walking towards him.

"Hey Ranchan", Ukyo said in a bubbly sweet voice that made Ranma want to throw up. He really didn't want to deal with her today, or ever again really considering all of the crap she had put him through lately.

"…"

"Hey sugar…", Ukyo started only to fall back in surprise when Ranma whirled around, eyes flashing in anger.

"Go away", Ranma said darkly as he unclenched the fist he had unknowingly made. "Stop calling me Ranchan, sugar, honey and crap like that. I am not any of that to you and I'm tired of hearing it."

Ukyo stepped backward as if slapped in surprise at the vehemence in her fiancé's voice. Something was definitely wrong with her Ranchan if he was snapping at her, the cute fiancée, like that. She decided against pressing him for any more information as it was clear that Ranma had no intentions of talking with her. She left in order to look for Nabiki while Akane smiled inwardly as she watched the roof top drama unfold and silently congratulated her boyfriend at his performance.

* * *

><p>"Hey Nabiki", Ukyo called as she walked up to the senior who was talking with a couple of her friends.<p>

Nabiki turned around scowling as she asked scathingly, "What do you want Kunoji?"

Ukyo stepped back at the tone, confusion all over her face. What was it with the cold shoulder that both her and Ranma had responded to her with? The chef doubted Akane would give her any sort of warm reception either but pushed thoughts of the tomboy aside. "I went to talk to Ranma and he acted like you just now, what's going on?"

The middle Tendo shook her head and went back to discussing things with her lieutenants for a few moments before she felt a tap on her shoulder. The other two girls gasped as Nabiki slowly turned around again, anger clearly on her face as she snarled, "What the hell do you want?"

"I want to know what's going on", Ukyo said defiantly and offered a few thousand Yen bills.

Nabiki shook her head and said, "That information is not for sale. Now go away and leave my family as well as Ranma alone. We want nothing more to do with you. You can carve up Genma's hide for all I care but the rest of us are off limits, am I clear?"

"You don't scare me Nabiki", Ukyo snarled as she clenched her fists in anger, "I am Ranma's fiancée and I have just as much claim to him as your sister does if not more. Genma took my dowry already whereas yours is still intact!"

The middle Tendo's expression darkened as she growled angrily, "You have a lot of gall to say something like that to me after the shit you pulled the other day. Thanks to you and that bitch Shampoo there is very little of the Tendo's dowry left."

"So what? Your dojo can be repaired while mine is gone!", Ukyo yelled as she readied her battle spatula. "I was doing Ranchan a favor. Do you really think he wanted to marry your uncute and violent sister?"

Nabiki chuckled darkly and shook her head, "Silly silly girl. Do you really believe you can threaten me with that baker's peel? Right now Ranma is only mad at you. Do you really think he'll stand by and do nothing if you attack me? Don't forget who I am Kuonji, what Ranma does to you will be nothing compared to what I do to you. I would suggest that you refrain from insulting my sister and that you walk away now while you still can."

With grim determination, Ukyo lunged at Nabiki only to be stopped dead in her tracks by Ranma. He wrenched the spatula from her grasp and bent it in half as he glared at the okinomiyaki chef in anger. She backed up slightly at the wild look in her fiancé's cold blue eyes and sputtered something incoherent. Half a second later a red energy blast lanced out from his hands and slammed into her stomach with the force of a freight train. She barely registered the KI-blast's impact before she flew backwards and crashed into the wall of the school building and slipped into darkness.

"Thank you Ranma", Nabiki said sweetly and patted him on the shoulder as she turned to walk back towards her friends.

"I am so sick of those girls", Ranma said darkly as he glowered at Ukyo's crumpled form. "First Shampoo this morning and now Ukyo."

"Wait", Nabiki said curiously as she stopped and turned around to face her future brother-in-law and asked, "What happened with Shampoo this morning?"

"She was riding her bicycle ready to flatten me with it so I knocked her into the canal. I didn't stick around to make sure she was okay though since she turns into a cat", Ranma replied as he clenched his fists in frustration. The stress of his impending doom and how badly Akane would react to the P-chan reveal was taking its toll on him, making him incredibly irritable and high strung. '_I am so sick of all this crap. If things go badly tonight and Akane really can't forgive me, I'll leave this hell hole forever. She's the only reason I am still here after all._'

Nabiki walked up to Ranma and grabbed his hand. She dragged him over to the corner of the courtyard and asked quietly, "Has Akane told you about our plan to deal with the girls?"

"She mentioned something about it this morning after I knocked Shampoo into the canal", Ranma replied.

"Okay, I will let this slide today but we really need for you not to attack them so much alright?", Nabiki said imploringly, which was something Ranma had never seen her do. "Ukyo attempted to attack me so I am really glad you were there to stop her. I think knocking her into the wall was a little excessive though."

"Yeah", Ranma replied sheepishly, "It probably was but I am just so tired of them. I don't know how many times I have told them I am not interested in them that way and that I would never marry them. They just don't seem to get it. It's just so damn frustrating."

"I know", Nabiki said gently and rested a hand on his arm, "But we need to be patient for the boycott and lawsuits to work. We want retribution for the damages they have caused our house fighting over you. Trust us on this, please?"

Ranma was flabbergasted, this was not the Nabiki he knew. The middle Tendo he knew was never gentle and kind, least of all to him. She certainly never said 'please' or 'thank you' in his presence and he found the effect rather disconcerting. With everything that had happened lately he wondered if he had stepped into an alternate universe or something. Nabiki seemed to actually care about him and her sisters for the first time since he had met her. Akane had confessed to him and then kissed not only his male form, but his female form. His mother wasn't harping on him about some contract and his father was leaving him alone. It was just weird.

The pony tailed young man merely nodded and Nabiki flashed him a brilliant smile. It wasn't as beautiful as the one Akane gave him from time to time but it was heart warming all the same which only served to make him even more nervous.

* * *

><p>Akane had trouble sitting still in her afternoon classes as the time approached that would invariably change her life in some profound way. Ranma's secret was hours from being exposed and she found it really difficult to concentrate on what her teachers were saying. The raven haired girl noted that her boyfriend was even worse off. He was about ready to hyperventilate and was sent to the nurse's office because the teachers thought he was going to have a panic attack.<p>

Everyone was surprised in Home Economics when Akane didn't set fire to the stove or cause some other mystical disaster. She was so worried about what was going to happen later she didn't do any of her creative cooking and merely followed the recipe like a robot. Everyone congratulated her on a job well done and the raven haired girl was floored at the notion that she could cook. All she had to do was have a life altering problem on her mind and she cooked perfectly. Akane shook her head in bewilderment and sighed as the bell rang signaling the end of classes for the day. The raven haired girl picked up her creation and was about to throw it in the trash when someone stopped her.

"Don't throw that out", Sayuri said, "You did an excellent job making that. You should take it home to your family, or give it to that stud muffin of a fiancé of yours."

"He won't eat it", Akane said hollowly.

"Why not?", Yuka demanded.

"He says my food taste like toxic waste", the youngest Tendo said in the same emotionless and hollow voice.

"Well", Sayuri paused and grimaced, "Honestly your normal cooking is a little bad. This, however is fantastic. Whatever you did to make this is what you need to do all of the time. Give this to Ranma, I know he'll appreciate it and if he still insults it, well maybe you should knock him to the moon."

"You really think he'll like it?", Akane asked, hope shining in her eyes for the first time in awhile as her voice returned to normal.

"Yes", Yuka and Sayuri said together as their friend smiled one of her sunniest smiles they had ever seen.

* * *

><p>Akane ran up to Ranma after the class and the two teenagers smiled at one another despite the looming threat to their happiness that was merely hours away at this point. The pony tailed youth noticed the package of food in his girlfriend's hand and tried to swallow the lump that was in his throat. He hoped she wouldn't insist on him eating her latest concoction, his body was going to be in enough pain later on as it was.<p>

"Ranma", Akane said stopping him with a touch. She gave her boyfriend puppy dogs eyes and asked, "Will you try this? I made it during Home Ec and Yuka and Sayuri both said it taste really good."

Ranma sighed and tried to hide his gag reflex but relented as he nodded. Apparently he was going to be in pain no matter what, either from a nasty stomach cramp or from her punching him into the canal. The former had the benefit of making her happy which might help when the P-chan issue came out soon. He steadied his nerves and cautiously put a little bit of the brown confection in his mouth, expecting the brownie to taste like soy sauce and gasoline. What he got instead though was a delicious mixture of chocolate and nuts. Ranma couldn't believe it, his tomboy had finally learned how to bake/cook mere hours before he was going to lose her forever.

"This is really good Akane", Ranma said happily as he gave her the warmest smile he could. The raven haired girl's eyes lit up and her big brown eyes shimmered with unshed tears of happiness as she thought excitedly, '_I did it! I finally made something he likes!_'

"Oh thank you Ranma", she said filled with emotion as she dragged her boyfriend into a nearby alley before jumping up and wrapping her arms around his neck. The black haired boy looked confused and was about to ask something when Akane closed her mouth over his and sucked in his breath as she kissed him passionately. He felt dizzy for a second and melted into his girlfriend's kiss as he returned with an equally powerful one. The two teenagers held onto one another for a few minutes before they reluctantly separated. They were still somewhat in public and they really didn't want anyone from school to see them.

"Have you tried these?", Ranma asked when he had recovered somewhat from their impromptu make-out session, curious as to how the brownies didn't get squashed when she leapt at him. He handed her the plate with a warm smiles on his face.

"No", Akane said but smiled at the offering and sampled it. Her eyes bulged out of their sockets and she said in surprise, "Oh wow. How did I make this?"

Ranma laughed as he said, "You mean you don't know?"

Akane shook her head and replied, "I was so worried about what Kasumi is going to tell me this afternoon I didn't even really try to cook. I just read the book and did what it said."

The pony tailed young man face palmed and said, "Akane, that's what you should have been doing all along. That's called following a recipe and it's how you can prevent cooking disasters. When you throw everything and anything into the mix you get some very strange and undesirable effects. Never mind that Kasumi or my mother don't do it that way. They know the recipes by heart so they don't need to read the directions, that's why it seems like they are just throwing random things in. Trust me, it's not random at all."

Understanding dawned in the tomboy's brown eyes and she nodded. "So it's kind of like a kata then? I was trying to throw all these different elements into it when I really needed to do this move, then that move for it to actually work?"

"If you want to think of it that way", Ranma replied with a grin, "then yes, cooking is like a kata. You will need to master the basics before you try to make the complicated recipes and forget about improvising until later. You've done enough of that for a lifetime."

"Baka", Akane said as she swatted her boyfriend playfully and smiled. The youngest Tendo slid her hand into Ranma's and the two of them walked towards the park, hand in hand enjoying their time together.

* * *

><p>Dinner at the Tendo household was fairly uneventful despite the feeling of dread for its too youngest members. Kasumi and Nodoka were discussing a recipe they wanted to try sometime in the near future. Nabiki was stone faced as usual, gathering her thoughts for the conversation she wanted to have with Ranma after dinner while her other sisters were talking. Genma and Soun paid no attention to anyone and were laughing boisterously at one stupid thing or another.<p>

Ranma felt like it was his last meal before being sent off to the guillotine and ate slowly, savoring every bite. He stole a few glances at his girlfriend and smiled inwardly. No matter what happened he would cherish the last couple of days they had shared together. It wasn't the first time that he kicked himself mentally for not exposing P-chan a lot sooner. Now he had to deal with the fallout when they had finally gotten together only to be torn apart.

Akane herself was almost too scared and nervous to eat. She nibbled at her dinner like a little animal and kept stealing glances at her boyfriend. She tried to smile at him but her face wouldn't cooperate so she had to settle for a slight frown. She desperately wanted to believe that they were overreacting and that everything would be fine after the talk with Kasumi. The raven haired girl wasn't willing to give up on Ranma, no matter what happened or so she wanted to believe. They had been through far too much together and had just recently confessed their true feelings for one another. There was no way in hell she was going to let that go without a fight. No matter what it was, she decided she would follow Ranma anywhere and the two of them would face everything and anything that stood in their way of being a couple together.

When everyone was finished, Ranma looked over at his girlfriend and saw the nervousness in her eyes. He reached out under the table for her hand and she accepted it as a ghost of a smile appeared on her lips. He gently squeezed her hand and her smile widened as she felt his love and warmth. Soun and Genma stood up from the table and walked over to the Shogi board to start a new game of "who can cheat better?".

"Come on Ranma", Akane said enthusiastically, "Let's go take a walk for awhile before we work on our homework."

"Ugh, homework", Ranma said in distaste as he frowned. Akane squeezed his hand gently to let him know what she really wanted to do rather than homework but they had agreed to keep the parents in the dark about the true nature of their relationship. It was their hope that they would get married when they wanted to, not when their fathers could conveniently get a priest to come by.

Kasumi and Nabiki already knew that they had confessed their love to one another and kissed. What they didn't know was that their first kiss had been as two girls and wanted to keep it that way. They had since kissed as a guy and a girl but they wanted to keep that under wraps as much as possible too.

"Akane", Kasumi said reproachfully, "Don't you remember we were going to talk after dinner?"

"Yeah", Akane said with a smile on her face that turned into a smirk, "When we get back it'll still be after dinner." The youngest Tendo released Ranma's hand and stood up. The Saotome heir stood up as well with a matching smile on his face and the two teenagers fled the Tendo compound. Once they were out of sight they grabbed each other's hand and slowed down to a walk breathing in the crisp cool evening air.

"What was that all about?", Nodoka asked in curiosity as she indicated the two younger teens that left fairly quickly.

"Oh nothing Auntie", Nabiki said neutrally, "Kasumi just wanted to talk to Akane about something before tomorrow. I'd like to talk with Ranma as well but I guess we'll have to wait now."

"It's so nice to see them getting along with one another finally", Nodoka replied as she smiled wistfully and picked up some of the dished to carry them into the kitchen. "I wonder if there are any romantic feelings between them yet. They seem to be really good friends at least but I had hoped they would fall in love with one another and would want to get married some day."

Kasumi and Nabiki traded glances and nodded their heads in agreement. They both knew the two youngest teenagers loved one another, what they were apprehensive about was whether or not Akane would still love Ranma once the great reveal took place.

* * *

><p>Ranma and Akane walked hand in hand down the darkened streets of Nerima in silence. They wanted to enjoy each other's company one last time before all hell broke loose. They were both nervous and found comfort in each other as they walked along, lost in their own thoughts. They stepped into an alley and kissed one another fairly passionately and both of them felt their inner cores begin to heat up in the love they had for one another. The two teenagers broke the kiss and embraced one another and held on as if they were going to be forcibly separated at any moment.<p>

"I need to apologize to you Akane", Ranma said quietly and bowed his head as tears shimmered in his blue eyes, "I let an intolerable situation continue and even though I tried to correct it on many occasions, I should have tried even harder or told you outright. I pray that you will be able to forgive me and I hope that you will remember that I love you more than anything. I will do anything you ask, even leave and never bother you again, if that is what you want."

"Ranma…", Akane said worriedly. "Is it really so bad that you think I would retract my love for you, that I would hate you?"

"It is", Ranma replied, eyes downcast as a few tears streaked down his cheeks and fell to the ground with a soft plopping sound. "I promise you I will never keep something like this from you ever again. I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you."

"Well", Akane said hesitantly as she looked into his stormy blue eyes, "If it's really that bad, will you promise to explain to me why you kept it a secret for so long and what you were trying to accomplish by doing so? I really don't want to go back to thinking the worst about you and hitting you. I want us to be able to talk about anything and everything in a rational manner so we don't blow up at one another anymore. Can we work through this together like the couple I hope we are?"

"Assuming you don't want to kill me when you find out", Ranma said half jokingly as he grimaced, "I promise I'll try to explain it as best I can. I would really like to make it through this alive and us still a couple. I love you Akane, I really don't want to lose you ever again."

"I love you too Ranma", Akane said as she smiled brightly before embracing her boyfriend again. The two teenagers kissed, long and passionately for the next few minutes before they decided it was time to face the music and see if they could survive the fallout.

* * *

><p>Ranma and Akane walked back onto the Tendo grounds and squeezed each other's hand one last time before separating. Ranma jumped up onto the roof so he could enter his room without being assaulted with questions from the parents or sisters. He just wanted to be alone for awhile as he awaited judgment.<p>

Akane walked into the house and said in a less than cheerful voice, "I'm home."

Kasumi smiled warmly and said, "Welcome back Akane. Did Ranma come back with you?"

"Yeah, I think he decided to go up to the roof for awhile", Akane replied and then gave her sister a steely look and said without emotion, "I'm ready now Kasumi."

Kasumi nodded seriously and the two of them walked up the stairs towards the eldest daughter's bedroom in silence. The conversation the youngest Tendo had been dreading all day was finally upon her. She didn't regret for one moment the love and affection she had showered on her boyfriend as it had been a wonderful way to distract her from their impending doom.

"Akane", Kasumi said gently as she led the shorter girl over to the bed. She pulled out some tissues just in case and said, "First of all I want to apologize. You were never supposed to know anything was wrong until now. I know you've been worried all day and I feel that it is at least partially my fault. I told Ranma yesterday not to behave differently because this was exactly what I was afraid would happen. That was why Nabiki yelled at him last night and you found out that something was definitely wrong."

'_I could have done without all of the grief but maybe it was better this way_', Akane thought to herself as she remembered fondly all of the kisses and declarations of love throughout the day as though it were their last. She realized then that she had felt some passion burning in her heart for Ranma's male half, something that as of the night before had eluded her and left her confused. Akane smiled inwardly thinking that she could give her heart to Ranma completely and wouldn't have to split it between his male half and female half any longer. She would love the Saotome teenager no matter the form, male, female or both.

"Akane?", Kasumi said gently as the elder sister touched the raven haired girl's arm trying to bring her back to the present.

"Huh? Oh sorry. I was just thinking about today and how happy Ranma and I were together", Akane said wistfully as she started to daydream again.

The eldest daughter sighed, it was just as she feared. Akane was so in love with Ranma she might never recover from his betrayal if she saw it that way. Maybe, just maybe she wouldn't care? No, she would care but maybe not enough to ruin anything between them? After everything they had been through perhaps their souls were already bonded together and nothing would separate them.

"Akane!", Kasumi said louder and shook her younger sister, "Please pay attention and stop thinking about Ranma for a little bit alright? I have something very important to tell you."

Akane blushed heavily at being caught daydreaming about her boyfriend and nodded as a smile crept onto her face.

Kasumi took her sister's hands into her own and said gently, "I want you to promise me that you will listen to what I have to tell you. Do not jump to conclusions and be sure to think before you act. It is a secret that Ranma and Ryoga have been keeping from you, from all of us for quite a while now."

"I-I promise. W-What secret?", Akane stammered, not liking the direction there conversation was going one bit as her brown eyes shimmered and a tear rolled down her cheek. She dismissed the thought as soon as it appeared that the two of them were any sort of couple. She knew that Ranma was keeping something from her but what did Ryoga have to do with it unless…

"Akane", Kasumi said softly as she squeezed her sister's hands gently. It had been hard enough on her and Nabiki, this was going to crush her little sister but it needed to be done. She needed to know the truth. "Ryoga is P-chan."

"W-What?", Akane asked almost in a whisper as she felt the blood drain out of her face.

"I'm sorry Akane, but it's true. Ranma confessed it to us yesterday afternoon", Kasumi said softly as she leaned forward and enveloped the shorter girl in a hug. Akane numbly collapsed into her older sister's arms as tears began to fall from her eyes in earnest. "Nabiki and I found him in your room last night and we saw the change for ourselves. We will hold off punishing him until you get a chance to decide his fate for yourself."

"His fate…", Akane said numbly as images of everything she had ever done in P-chan's presence appeared in her mind. She had held him to her chest… She had slept with him… She had changed in front of him… She had told him things she wouldn't tell even her best friends about Ranma. No wonder the lost boy always seemed to know what was going on even though she had never said anything to him in his human form. Akane suddenly felt incredible ill and ran out of the room. She desperately tried to make it to the kitchen or the bathroom but unfortunately she only made it halfway down the stairs before she had no choice but to empty the contents of her stomach.

Kasumi appeared behind her sister and knelt down to wrap her arms around the smaller girl as she murmured soothing words even though she knew words would not help right then. Akane knelt on the stairs as her body shook from its forceful ejection, not really seeing much of anything. Her mind was caught in a maelstrom of emotions as her thoughts were ripped away from her as soon as they formed. After a little coaxing from her eldest sister, Akane wordlessly trudged back towards Kasumi's bedroom and sat on the bed again.

"Akane", Kasumi said gently as she offered her sister some tissues to wipe her mouth and dry her eyes, "I know this is a shock to you but there is more that I need to tell you."

Akane stared at her sister unseeing and nodded numbly as some coherent thoughts appeared in her mind, '_Ranma, how could you let that pervert sleep in my bed? Why didn't you tell me and how can I possibly trust you now?_'

Somewhere in the deep recesses of her mind the answers came back as she recalled how often Ranma would try to stop her from sleeping with the pig. It wasn't petty jealousy she had accused him of was it? Well, maybe there was a little jealousy but really he was trying to protect her from Ryoga but she never listened. There were all those times she yelled at him for picking on P-chan or picking on Ryoga, but wasn't it always the lost boy who would attack Ranma? He would always yell, "Ranma prepare to die" before attacking without reason it seemed.

Just like Ryoga, she always blamed Ranma for everything without considering how she contributed to the fights between them. Tears welled up in her brown eyes as she realized just how unfair she had been to her fiancé. Until recently, she had always thought the worst about him, hitting him and cursing their forced relationship. He must really love her after all to put up her antics constantly for as long as he had. Despite everything, Ranma still loved and protected her and chances were good that the only reason he was even still in Nerima was because of her. If she broke up with him over P-chan or anything else he would leave forever and Ryoga would win. The lost boy had been trying to split them up from the very beginning.

Akane steeled her resolve as she felt anger replace her depression and vowed silently, '_Ryoga will never win. I will not break up with Ranma over this despite my feelings of revulsion for the two of them at the moment. At least now I understand why he was so afraid I would hate him and wouldn't be surprised if I never wanted anything to do with him again. It really is that bad but we will get through this, I promise you Ranma. I will need some time but I will forgive you. I love you too damn much to let this destroy us despite my anger at you right now._'

"Ranma…", Kasumi started.

"Don't say his name", Akane spat as she wiped her tears away angrily.

Kasumi nodded in understanding and said, "He who shall not be named felt he was to blame for Ryoga…"

"Don't say his name either", the youngest Tendo growled as she clenched her fists and her angry battle aura appeared around her.

"Um, well", Kasumi faltered, wondering how to convey what she needed to say without using either Ranma or Ryoga's name. "He who shall not be named felt he was to blame for the lost one's curse because he accidentally knocked the lost one into a cursed spring when he followed he who shall not be named to Jusenkyo because of the duel the lost one was three days late for. After you took him as your pet, he who shall not be named…

Akane burst out laughing at this point, interrupting her older sister again. Kasumi looked at her like she had grown three heads or something equally bizarre and sighed.

"Akane?", Kasumi asked hesitantly as she reached out for her sister.

"I'm sorry Kasumi", Akane said softly as she wiped some tears away from her eyes. "I just think it's funny the way you are trying to tell me about Ranma and Ryoga without using their names. I know I told you not to but I think it's okay if you do now. You might make a little more sense."

"Alright", Kasumi said hesitantly and then continued, "All I really know is that Ranma felt he was responsible for cursing Ryoga even though I told him it wasn't his fault. I think he made some sort of promise to the lost boy, or to himself anyway, that he wouldn't reveal his curse. I think this was just before you took him as a pet. Afterwards he tried everything he could, short of telling you directly to help you figure it out and tried to protect you. That was why he snuck into your room and why he was always chasing P-chan around. He was trying to keep pig boy from doing what he was doing without breaking his promise. I hope you will remember this when you confront Ranma about it. Keep in mind that he tried to protect you. Remember how he would always call the pig Ryoga or the Habiki boy P-chan?"

"I remember", Akane said slowly, more mad at herself for missing her housemate's obvious clues than at Ranma himself. She had just gone over this possibility the previous evening too when she first overheard Nabiki yelling at her boyfriend. Huh, boyfriend… Was Ranma still her boyfriend despite this betrayal? The raven haired girl pushed that thought aside and decided she would wait until after she talked with him in order to deal with it.

First she needed to find out why Ranma had kept it a secret in the first place. Surely it wasn't so that he could make a fool out of her was it? They weren't exactly getting along back then though so it was a possibility. Could it really have been all some sick game to them? Akane started to feel nauseous again and grabbed a fistful of tissues so she could catch her vomit this time.

"Oh Kasumi", Akane sobbed as some of the shock had worn off and lunged forward in order to hug her sister, "How could I have been so blind?'

"How could any of us, especially when we live with a man that changes into a panda and another that becomes a girl", Kasumi said as she frowned, wondering how she could have been so blind the whole time as well.

The two sisters sat there on Kasumi's bed hugging one another for a few more minutes as they replayed the last year or so through their minds and wondered how they could possibly miss all of the obvious signs and sighed. Finally they straightened up and Akane slid off the bed with a certain fire in her eyes as she smoothed out her dress and rubbed her eyes.

"Where is that pervert?", Akane said icily as she invoked her own version of the Soul of Ice. It wasn't quite the same as the one Ranma had learned but she still found it useful. Since she had begun meditating in order to control her anger she found that she could achieve a semblance of the emotional detachment necessary for it.

"If you mean Hibiki", Kasumi paused and Akane nodded her head, "He should still be hogtied in Happosai's old room. I wanted him out of the way until you decided what you wanted to do with him."

Akane narrowed her eyes and smirked. As she left her older sister's bedroom she said, "Thank you Kasumi. How would feel about pork for dinner tomorrow night?"

"Oh my!", Kasumi said with a hand over her mouth.

* * *

><p>Akane stormed out of her sister's bedroom and felt white hot anger boil within as her battle aura flared around her. The raven haired girl clenched her fists really wanting to pound on something, or rather someone but knew ultimately it wouldn't help. Ryoga was as tough as a rock wall so unless she could attack him for hours in the end he would be perfectly fine the next day. No, a physical attack with her fists wasn't going to accomplish what she wanted to do. She needed something sharp and pointy and an evil smile crossed her face when an idea appeared in her head.<p>

The raven haired girl calmed herself down as she stood in the hallway breathing slowly in and out until her body felt like it was in equilibrium again. She was pissed, but she needed to be in control of her anger, not let it control her. Ranma had said something similar to her when they sparred once in awhile before the adventure in China. Akane smirked and was pretty sure she would hear those words again when they started training together for real, once she stopped being mad at him and forgave him. Even though he had made the promise he wouldn't tell, with everything Ryoga had done to her she still felt he should have. The youngest Tendo felt so horribly unclean knowing what she had allowed the pig to do to her. Akane shivered and set her thoughts of Ranma aside so she could focus on her new mission for the evening.

First, she needed to establish that P-chan really was Ryoga, not that she didn't trust her eldest sister but Akane really needed to see it for herself before she could allow herself to believe it fully. She walked towards Happosai's room and poked her head inside. She felt a flicker of anger as well as pleasure when she noticed that Ryoga was in pig form and hogtied in the corner, just as her older sister had said. The animal didn't react to her presence and she hoped the pervert was asleep.

Akane walked down to the tea room and walked up to her future mother-in-law and said, "Auntie?"

"Yes?", Nodoka asked and she set her reading material aside for a moment and gave the youngest Tendo her full attention.

"Can I borrow your katana for a little while? I promise I won't damage it or anything, I just need something long and sharp to make a point", Akane said guardedly while trying to make herself look as cute as possible. Hey, it worked for Ranma, perhaps she could do it too.

"Certainly dear, it's up on the mantle", Nodoka replied, not sure why her future daughter-in-law wanted the sword but saw no reason to deny her request. She picked up her magazine again and went back to reading about teenaged daughters. A curious grin crossed her lips as she thought, '_I love my son, I really do. I love my daughter too even though she isn't real. All of that time he pretended to be Ranko Tendo I grew really fond of her. I feel as though I know her better than I do my own son, even though they are two sides of the same coin. I wonder if Ranma would consent to being my daughter half of the time and would grow to love himself as him and her. I know I already do…_'

"Thank you", Akane said as she headed to the bathroom in order to stash the weapon within easy reach of where she would throw her soon to be ex-pet pig into the bath water and see the truth for herself.

Steeling her resolve, Akane walked back into Happosai's room and picked up the piglet trying to hide her revulsion. Ryoga squirmed at the contact and opened his eyes in shock as they widened to the size of tea saucers. Panic briefly overtook him when he noticed who was holding him. The lost boy thought it was strange that Akane was holding him the way she normally did and even spoke to him in a kind and soft voice. Thinking wrongly that maybe Nabiki and Kasumi had been bluffing when they threatened to tell the youngest Tendo, he settled down and nuzzled into Akane's chest content that things were back to normal.

The raven haired girl glared at the hateful and lying traitor and fought down the urge to vomit as she tried to maintained her composure. Her plan depended on Ryoga not suspecting what she was really up to until it was too late. Stepping into the bathroom she grabbed P-chan by his neckerchief and threw him into the hot bath that was waiting for him. While Ryoga was flying through the air in confusion, Akane grabbed the Saotome honor blade and unsheathed it and held it out in front of her for when the pig would become a perverted boy.

Ryoga hit the water in surprise and freaked out as his body changed. If he remembered things correctly he knew he was in trouble. He stayed under the water for a few moments but soon his lungs screamed at him to breath. The lost boy surfaced but before he could breathe what little air remained within him was expelled as he gasped in surprise. He froze in fear when he saw Nodoka's naked blade pointed at his throat just barely touching it. The person wielding the sword was none other than his love interest, Akane Tendo.

"Hello pervert", Akane said in a deathly calm voice with an icy smile on her face.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it._

* * *

><p><em><span>Akane's current aura color combinations:<span> _

_Ki-cocoon: White, Pink, Red - Confidence, Love, Passion _

_Fl__aming Battle Aura: Dark Red, Black - Anger, Hate_


	5. A Thin Line Between Love and Hate

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

* * *

><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Chapter Four

_A Thin Line Between Love and Hate_

.

.

_Steeling her resolve, Akane walked back into Happosai's room and picked up the piglet trying to hide her revulsion. Ryoga squirmed at the contact and opened his eyes in shock as they widened to the size of tea saucers. Panic briefly overtook him when he noticed who was holding him. The lost boy thought it was strange that Akane was holding him the way she normally did and even spoke to him in a kind and soft voice. Thinking wrongly that maybe Nabiki and Kasumi had been bluffing when they threatened to tell the youngest Tendo, he settled down and nuzzled into Akane's chest content that things were back to normal._

_The raven haired girl fought down the urge to vomit or throw the pervert down the stairs and maintained her composure. Her plan depended on Ryoga not suspecting what she was really up to until it was too late. Stepping into the bathroom she grabbed P-chan by his collar and threw him into the hot bath that was waiting for him. While Ryoga was flying through the air in confusion, Akane grabbed the Saotome honor blade and unsheathed it and held it out in front of her for when the pig would become a perverted boy._

_Ryoga hit the water in surprise and freaked out as his body changed. If he remembered things correctly he knew he was in trouble. He stayed under the water for a few moments but soon his lungs screamed at him to breath. The lost boy surfaced but before he could breathe what little air remained within him was expelled as he gasped in surprise. He froze in fear when he saw Nodoka's naked blade pointed at his throat just barely touching it. The person wielding the sword was none other than his love interest, Akane Tendo. _

"_Hello pervert", Akane said in a deathly calm voice with an icy smile on her face._

"A-Akane?", Ryoga stammered, too afraid to move anything but his mouth at the moment.

"No", Akane said sarcastically, "You are having a nightmare and I am merely a figment of your imagination."

"Oh", Ryoga said and sighed in relief as he started to raise his hand in order to move the sword away from his throat. He pulled back when he suddenly felt the blade knick his flesh. His hand moved to the side of his neck and felt what could only be blood between his fingers. His face paled at the realization that he was in very real danger. Akane wasn't afraid to use her sword to draw blood after all.

"Idiot", Akane hissed as she repositioned the sword so that it was pointed directly at the middle of his throat again. "You will not leave here until I am satisfied pervert. What do you have to say for yourself and your actions for the last year and a half?"

"There is nothing I can say other than that I am truly sorry…", Ryoga said slowly.

"Sorry?!", Akane screamed as her battle aura exploded, wreathing her body in dark red fire as she shook in uncontrollable rage. The lost boy backed away in sudden fear and in order to avoid being impaled by the Tendo girl's jerky movements.

Akane glared at the lost boy in contempt and snarled, "If you were truly sorry you wouldn't have done it in the first place you dishonorable, perverted piece of shit! You could have stopped it at any time, been a real man and told me the truth! But no, you knew I would never love you as a person so you used and defiled me all for a cheap thrill! Was it good for you because it'll be the last pair you ever touch you despicable pervert."

"I-It wasn't like that!", Ryoga protested before the sword found his throat again and he stopped talking.

"Oh really?", Akane said sarcastically, her normally sweet voice dripping with venom as her lips curled into a cruel smirk. "Just what was it like then and don't you dare say any of this was Ranma's fault. _You_ didn't make it to the lot on time for your bread duel. _You_ followed him to China like the idiot that you are. _You_ chose to be a dishonorable pig and a coward in order to molest me. No pervert, this is entirely all _your_ fault and I will have my revenge on you for what you've done."

"W-What do you plan to do?", Ryoga stammered as he backed away to the other side of the bathtub. Akane couldn't help but see his manhood underneath the water and shuddered violently as she felt like throwing up again. The raven haired girl didn't want to see any guy naked at the moment and especially not the pervert who had misused his curse in order to molest and spy on her.

"First of all I want you to put some clothes on. I really don't want to see you naked and you are showing me way too much right now bacon breath. The only guy I would want to see naked is Ranma when he is my husband", Akane said a little softer as she allowed her Soul of Ice to calm her down a little. The raven haired girl slowed her breathing in order to get her anger under control and her blood red aura died down.

Akane walked out of the bathing room and into the changing room. There she opened the door and yelled, "Can someone get some clothes for pig boy please? He is defiling our tub with his nudity and I really don't want to see the pervert naked anymore."

Kasumi rounded the corner a few moments later and said, "I found his pack earlier Akane but I couldn't lift it. I can get some clothes out of it though if you want or I could ask Ranma to bring the pack to you."

The raven haired girl thought for a moment, not really sure she wanted to see her fiancé at the moment and said, "No that's okay. I don't really want to see Ranma right now. I might do something I'll regret later when I'm not mad at him anymore. If you would just bring some clothes I'd appreciate it."

Kasumi left in order to grab some clothes from Ryoga's pack while Akane walked back into the bathing room and stood by the door. Ryoga sat in the tub looking terribly uncomfortable and the raven haired girl gave him an icy smile and watched in amusement as he squirmed.

"So pervert", Akane said and laughed maliciously when he flinched, "I'm still waiting to hear what you have to say for yourself in regards to your actions. I've asked Kasumi to bring you some clothes because the sight of seeing you naked is making me sick. If it wasn't I would let you sit there completely nude and uncomfortable for a long time. Maybe you'd understand a little of how I feel."

"I never watched you change…", Ryoga protested.

"Bullshit!", Akane said heatedly with a hint of malice in her tone as she walked towards him and raised her sword again. "Try telling me the truth pig boy, and maybe I won't make pork buns out of you."

The lost boy's complexion paled and he lowered his head and said, "Fine. I didn't watch you change every time, but I did at first. You are so beautiful and I am…'

"A pervert", Akane interrupted crossly as her eyes narrowed in anger. "You nuzzled and felt my chest. You used things I said in confidence against Ranma and me and poisoned our relationship with your hateful lies."

"He doesn't deserve you…", Ryoga stated to say only to be cut off again.

"And you do?", Akane interrupted as she brandished her weapon menacingly mere centimeters from his nose.

"He was always insulting you and belittling your abilities. I would never do that to you", the lost boy countered, confident she would understand why he was a better choice for a boyfriend, conveniently forgetting about one little important detail.

"No, you only did something far worse", the raven haired girl replied scathingly. "Ranma never purposefully molested me…"

"I didn't either!", Ryoga yelled attempting to protest his innocence.

"Shut up!", Akane thundered as she leveled the blade at his throat again, breaking the skin just a little bit. She smiled wickedly as she watched a little bit of the red liquid flow onto the tip of the sword and Ryoga's eyes widened in fear.

"You want to know why I did what I did or are you going to interrupt me again?", Ryoga asked sarcastically trying to mask how scared he really was with a bravado he did not feel.

"I've only been asking that since the beginning", Akane said harshly and watched as the lost boy rolled his eyes as she narrowed hers and growled, "Fine. Talk."

"Alright, perhaps it was my fault following Ranma to China and winding up at Jusenkyo", Ryoga said as Akane just rolled her eyes and scoffed at the 'perhaps' part. "He didn't have to push me into one of the springs though. If he had been paying any attention at all he could have avoided knocking me off the cliff."

Akane snorted and motioned for him to continue. Ryoga nodded and said, "After that, a large panda pulled me out of the spring and threw me in a pot of boiling water in order to cook me."

The raven haired girl's eyes widened and her anger at Genma intensified, the bastard had known all along and didn't say anything to anyone. She knew it wasn't because of honor or anything like that seeing as how the elder Saotome didn't have any. Why would he have kept it a secret unless it had to do with joining of the schools perhaps by making Ranma jealous? She wondered idly if her own father knew the whole time as well and started to feel nauseous again. Genma she could see doing something underhandedly like that but her own father?

"Okay", Akane said slowly, "You followed Ranma to get revenge for some bread and 'running' out on a duel. He accidentally knocked you off the cliff while he was chasing his father. I can see you being upset with him for that, but Genma was the one who wanted to eat you and yet you are not mad at him at all are you?"

Ryoga pondered the girl's words for a moment and shook his head. "If it wasn't for Ranma…"

"Quit blaming Ranma and accept responsibility for your own decisions. Man up pig boy", Akane said as she glared at the lost boy before saying, "Okay, so at this point you are cursed and are still in China. I'm willing to bet that sometime between here and there you spent quite some time as a pig."

Ryoga nodded and said, "It was hell. I was nearly eaten well over a dozen times and thanks to my directional curse I had a lot of trouble getting back to Japan. The only thing that kept me going was my revenge on Ranma. I finally found him only for him to run away again…"

"Correction", Akane said sternly, "He was standing right there when you ran into the school and got lost. When you came back you fought him with no regard for innocent bystanders at all and cut my hair off you asshole. Then you attacked him at night while he was sleeping. What kind of dishonorable thug are you? Oh wait, I know because then you used your curse to get close to me and became a pervert as well as a coward."

"You were the first person in a very long time to show me any affection at all", Ryoga replied. "I haven't seen my parents in years and I am always wandering alone because I keep getting lost. You were so warm and kind to me and I latched onto you and didn't want to let you go. Then I found out you were engaged to that honorless bastard Ranma who I hated more than anything and tried to break you two up. Apparently I wasn't very successful since you tried to get married the other day. Tell me something, did you want to marry him or was that all your parents' idea?"

Akane glared at the lost boy and said heatedly, "That is none of your business. It doesn't matter what is or is not going on between Ranma and me as far as you are concerned. I once thought of you as a friend. I will never consider you a friend, let alone anything more than that ever again pork butt. You have betrayed my trust and I don't ever want to see you again."

"What about Ranma?", Ryoga growled angrily, "He knew the whole time and never told you."

Akane chuckled darkly and shook her head, "I don't know why he didn't tell me straight out but I should have realized you and P-chan were the same. You both get lost really easily and you wear your bandanas on your head or around your neck depending on form. Ranma was always calling you pig related names to your face and when I held you as P-chan he was always calling you Ryoga. I feel like such an idiot for not picking that up. Even still, you should have been honorable enough to tell me."

"I was afraid you would hate me", Ryoga said softly.

"Guess what bacon breath", Akane snarled coldly, "I do hate you and I want you to leave and never return. If you come back, I will take you to the vet and have you neutered, not that any girl will ever want a pig like you anyway."

Ryoga felt the blood drain out of his face for a moment before thinking smugly, '_That's where you're wrong Akane_. _I still have Akari I can fall back on…_'

There was a polite knock on the door then and Akane walked over in order to answer it. When she opened the door Kasumi was there with Ryoga's pack. She was about to ask how when she caught a whiff of a familiar scent and smiled for a small moment before grabbing the pack and throwing it into the bathing room. The aroma she had picked up was a hint of female Ranma's unique scent which also explained how Kasumi had gotten the lost boy's pack to the changing room.

"Get dressed pig boy", Akane yelled back angrily into the room and then closed the door and faced her sister as she sighed heavily. The youngest Tendo felt nearly completely drained from her emotions and wanted to lay down for awhile. She was so tired of dealing with Ryoga and just wanted him to disappear like he had a tendency to do. Perhaps in a few years when she and Ranma were happily married and in college she could stand the pig's presence. They could talk like the friends she thought mistakenly that they were but she suspected P-chan would always be a sore spot with her. Akane went over to the sink and washed Ryoga's blood from the katana and carefully dried it.

Kasumi noticed of course and gasped as she asked quietly, "How badly did you cut him?"

"Huh?", Akane asked in confusion before she remembered actually hitting the lost boy a couple of times, "Oh, not too badly. I nicked him a couple of times when he was being particularly obstinate but nothing remotely life threatening. He heals almost as quickly as Ranma does so he'll be fine soon enough. I don't want to see him again for a long time. Will you get rid of him for me?"

The two Tendo girls walked into the bathing room where Ryoga was fully dressed, apparently waiting for Akane to come back in and interrogate him further. The raven haired girl sighed as she picked up the katana scabbard and replaced the sword before turning on her heel without a word and walked out.

"Kasumi?", Ryoga said cautiously as the elder daughter switched her gaze from her sister to the dishonorable pig in front of her, "What's going to happen now?"

"You, pig boy, are going to leave this house and never return", Kasumi said sternly and grabbed him by the arm. At his questioning glance she sighed and said, "We can't have you getting lost in a closet now can we." Ryoga hung his head and nodded meekly as Kasumi continued, "I will escort you to the gate and then you are on your own. Akane never wants to see you again and frankly neither do I nor does Nabiki. I can't imagine Ranma cares much for your presence either considering all the trouble you've caused."

* * *

><p>The oldest Tendo daughter and the lost boy walked through the house and out towards the gate in silence. Once they were both at the gate, Kasumi pushed him through and said, "I, Kasumi Tendo, matriarch of the Tendo clan do hereby banish you forever from the Tendo estate. If I catch you here again, especially as P-chan, I will take you to the vet and have you neutered. Am I clear?"<p>

Ryoga nodded his head in understanding having already heard that threat. He turned in a random direction thinking he should go visit Akari but was fairly certain he would wind up in Okinawa or someplace even more ridiculous. The lost boy was feeling depressed and wondered about the plan he had thought up the night of the failed wedding when he was really angry at Ranma and wanted revenge. He sighed knowing that it wouldn't change anything as far as he was concerned. Akane would never want to be with him even if Ranma was locked as a girl forever and they had to dissolve their engagement. Unless…

'_After I lock Ranma's curse I could maybe get another one of those Koi rods and make sure I hit Akane with it this time. Then, they will have to break up and he can watch helplessly as Akane falls in love with me. We'll marry quickly and my ultimate revenge will be complete…_', Ryoga thought evilly as he burst out laughing maniacally. The townspeople nearby just looked at the weird boy like he was insane and went about their business.

* * *

><p>While Kasumi and Akane were talking in the elder sister's bedroom, Ranma was in his room pacing back and forth trying to figure out what he wanted to do. In the end he might not have a choice since he didn't know if Akane would try to kill him, ignore him, or worse, break up with him. The outlook was grim and for the millionth time that day he was kicking himself mentally for not dealing with the whole P-chan thing a lot better more than a year ago.<p>

'_Who would have thought last year that Akane and I would actually be in love with one another?_', Ranma mused as he pulled out his backpack and checked to make sure that his tent, bedroll and cooking equipment were all present and intact. He went over to his dresser and pulled out several days worth of clothes as well as a one piece swimsuit. As he packed he wondered idly what sort of punishments the Tendo sisters had in store for him and thought a week long banishment would be better. He knew Akane wouldn't want to see him and would need time so he thought he was doing the right thing by leaving.

Ranma grabbed a set of clothes and his bathing supplies and set out downstairs in order to take a bath. He would write the letter afterwards to minimize the chance that someone, namely Nabiki, of finding it in the meantime. As he passed by the middle Tendo's room he heard her call to him and he was tempted to just keep going without acknowledging the girl. Ultimately he decided to see what she wanted as Nabiki had a tendency to make life more of a hassle to those that ignored her.

He poked his head through the doorway and asked, "Yeah?"

"Ranma", Nabiki said in a friendly manner which of course immediately raised a red flag for him, "Will you come in here for a little bit? I would like to talk to you."

"Can it wait?", Ranma replied neutrally, "I was going to take a bath."

Nabiki thought for a moment, wondering how much time the martial artist had before Akane would need the bathing room for her confrontation with P-chan. She shook her head and said, "I don't think that's a good idea right now, especially if you plan to be in there for awhile."

"Why?", Ranma asked as he walked inside the middle Tendo's room and closed the door.

"If I know my little sister", Nabiki replied slowly, "she is going to be using the bath in a little bit in order to expose P-chan so she can see him change for herself."

"Oh", Ranma replied as he sat down on the corner of her bed and frowned. "I guess I'll wait until she's killed pig boy then. She can kill me right afterwards."

"I really don't think she'll actually kill either one of you", Nabiki replied and prayed to Kami-sama she was right. "You might want to avoid her for a few days though and give her some space."

Ranma nodded his head in agreement and said, "Yeah I know. I had planned to do just that and hoped she would be willing to talk by Friday."

"Oh?", Nabiki asked slyly as she arched an eyebrow in amusement, "And just what did you have planned for my little sister this weekend, a hot date?"

"No", Ranma shook his head and said, "We made plans to go on a training trip this coming weekend where I was going to help her like I promised yesterday morning."

Nabiki shook her head in distaste and said, "I suppose for a pair of martial artists a weekend training trip could be considered a hot date you sly dog. You do realize though that my older sister will never allow the two of you to go alone. I know your father and mine will encourage it since all they care about is the joining of the two schools but Kasumi will consider it improper since you aren't married."

"Yeah", Ranma nodded his head and replied casually, "I thought about that and figured there were two options. One, she could come with us and hopefully save us from Akane's cooking. Or two, I could swear on my honor that I would remain a girl the entire time. I suppose we could do it both ways really."

"I know you take honor very seriously", Nabiki replied evenly and then muttered, "A little too seriously if you ask me, especially in regards to P-chan honestly."

The middle Tendo then spoke up again and said, "I also know that if you were to swear upon your honor to remain a girl the whole time, you would do so unless circumstances beyond your control changed you back into a guy. Seeing as how hot water accidents generally are fairly rare I would find that scenario rather unlikely."

Nabiki smirked and rubbed her hands together as she said slyly, "Of course, we could make it so that you didn't have to worry about hot water at all for a little awhile."

"How?", Ranma asked, almost afraid of the answer. He wasn't quite sure he would be willing to lock his curse even temporarily. What if it became permanent? The pony tailed young man didn't hate being Ranma Saotome, man amongst men that much to want to get rid of that side of himself permanently. He just liked to take a break from it now and again and his girl side was very helpful in that regard.

"Kasumi picked up some waterproof soap from Cologne earlier today", Nabiki replied and handed the soap to her stunned housemate. "She had planned to switch out your soap without telling you as a form of punishment but I told her that was a bad idea. We don't need you freaking out and going crazy because you we're locked again before running off for a cure or something when we have enough to deal with already."

Ranma looked at the soap in his hand carefully as he chuckled and nodded his head, "Yeah, I probably would have done all of that or worse. I take it the old crone doesn't know about the boycott or lawsuit yet if you're asking her for help to lock my curse even temporarily."

"No she doesn't, or shouldn't", Nabiki said calmly before her voice turned steely, "And she isn't going to find out from you, right?"

"Of course not", Ranma replied indignantly as he crossed his arms over his chest, "Do you really think I _want_ them around? If this plan of yours gets rid of all three of them as well as Kodachi and Ukyo I am all for it."

"Good", Nabiki said as she smiled warmly. It wasn't a smile Ranma could ever recall seeing on the middle Tendo's face except that afternoon when she genuinely thanked him for stopping Ukyo's attack. It was a smile born of happiness and friendship and it unnerved him. He wasn't used to the idea that Nabiki could actually be nice.

"Now Ranma", the middle Tendo said with a shark grin on her face, "I would like to discuss your punishment for withholding P-chan from us. I want you to become my model for awhile. Don't worry, I won't be selling them to the perverts at school and they will be tasteful. In fact, maybe we could send your portfolio to a modeling agency and you could do it professionally, assuming you wanted to."

"What's the point of that?", Ranma asked as he felt the blood drain out of his face. He assumed she wanted him to model in his girl form and could just imagine all of the different dresses and weird outfits she would have him wear.

"The point is to broaden your horizons", Nabiki replied and sighed heavily. "Right now martial arts is about the only thing you do or think about. There are many other things in life worth doing and you should really have other interests and hobbies. Take Akane for instance, she loves martial arts but she is also a member of the gymnastics team and the drama club. You're way too one-dimensional Ranma and I realize that is the panda's fault since he told you everything but martial arts was worthless. Well, he's wrong about that as well as everything else and I think you know that already."

Ranma nodded and sighed, "Yeah. I would like to do other things other than martial arts some times. I'm good at it and I enjoy it, but sometimes I just want to do something else. Trouble is I wouldn't know where to even begin to think where to start. I've never really done anything else because of the panda."

"Well", Nabiki drawled, "Why not try modeling? I won't make you look bad I promise. You know how good I am with a camera after all."

The black haired boy sighed and hung his head as he said, "Fine. I take it you want me to be a girl for this?"

"Of course", the middle Tendo smiled her trade mark shark grin. "Now go and get changed young lady. I will have an outfit ready for you by the time you come back."

* * *

><p>Ranma sighed in resignation and walked down the stairs towards the kitchen where he could get some colder water from the tap. He ran the water for a few moments before he felt the change wash over him as he became a she. The red haired girl sighed again and jumped nearly three meters in the air in fright when she heard a blood curdling scream followed by a very angry and unbelieving, "Sorry?!"<p>

The Saotome heiress knew that voice and shuddered. She was really glad she wasn't in Ryoga's position at the moment as Akane was laying into the lost boy in the bathing room. Ranma decided she would avoid that part of the house as much as possible for now.

That was until she heard Akane yell out, "Can someone get some clothes for pig boy please? He is defiling our tub with his nudity and I really don't want to see the pervert naked anymore."

Ranma walked out of the kitchen and noticed Kasumi turn the corner heading for the changing room. The two girls nearly ran into one another and looked at one another for a second before the eldest daughter continued on. Ranma headed back for the stairs when the eldest daughter caught up with her and asked if she would carry Ryoga's pack to the changing room for her. The red haired girl nodded and the two of them found the lost boy's insanely heavy backpack. Ranma had no problems carrying it back and dropped it off inside the changing room. Kasumi was about to knock on the door to the bathing room and the red haired girl bolted in order to keep Akane from seeing her.

* * *

><p>A few minutes later, Ranma walked back into Nabiki's room and frowned. Apparently she was going to be dressing up in a few different outfits for while. The middle Tendo had pulled out all sorts of dresses along with some other things and had some of them laying on the bed while others were hanging on the door.<p>

"Alright Ranma", Nabiki said silkily as she grinned her traditional shark grin, "You are going to have to wear regular girl's undergarments for this. I trust you have some in your room from before?"

Ranma sighed and nodded her head as she left the room wondering just how she had gotten roped into her latest predicament. Walking into her room, the red haired girl went to her secret stash of girl's clothes and found a suitable white bra and panty set. Nabiki was providing the rest of the outfit so she didn't think she would need anything else. Ranma quickly stripped off her Chinese outfit, boxers and tank top and stared at her nude body in the mirror for a few moments. Closing her eyes briefly she slid on the panties and the bra. Her breasts thanked her for the support and the panties really didn't feel all that bad hugging her womanhood. She grabbed a robe and put it on before heading back to Nabiki's room.

When the Saotome heiress walked back into her room, Nabiki smiled and said, "Alright Ranma, go ahead and pick an outfit and let's see how you look in it."

Ranma looked around and her eyes settled on a black cocktail dress that was probably somewhat of a mini-skirt on a taller girl. The red-head smirked and thought it would at least make it to her knees due to her height. She slid out of the robe and blushed when Nabiki whistled at her.

"Looking good Ranma", the middle Tendo teased as she took in her housemate's generous curves. Her brown eyes wandered over the smaller girl's body and Ranma shivered, suddenly feeling like a piece of meat under the mercenary girl's piercing gaze. The red haired girl wondered if Nabiki was at least somewhat of a lesbian with the way she was looking at her and licking her lips. Shaking her head trying to clear it of those kinds of thoughts, she picked up the cocktail dress and slipped into it.

"Allow me", Nabiki breathed softly into Ranma's ear as she took hold off the zipper and slowly raised it while cupping Ranma's ass with her other hand which startled the younger girl. As she raised the zipper, the middle Tendo's other hand rose up her back causing the red-head to shiver. The only one that was supposed to touch her like this was her girlfriend and Ranma felt very uneasy about the whole situation. How would Akane react if she walked in on them right now? This was just the type of compromising situation she used to find herself in all the time and the raven haired girl hadn't been too understanding then. Akane really wouldn't be understanding now if she found her girlfriend with her sister on top of the P-chan betrayal.

"Nabiki, please stop touching me like that", Ranma pleaded as she turned around and looked into the older girl's brown eyes, "If Akane sees us like this she's going to feel even more betrayed than she already does and she'll want to kill me even more. Please, just stop."

The middle Tendo pouted but knew Ranma was right. As angry as Akane was at Ryoga for the moment it really wouldn't take much for her little sister to re-direct her anger at either one of them. Kama-sama knew they didn't need that at the moment. Nabiki finished zipping up Ranma's dress and looked her over and nodded approvingly as she led the shorter girl over towards the mirror.

Ranma looked at herself and couldn't believe how good the dress looked on her. The skirt fell to a point just below her knees while the dress hugged her hips and waist very nicely while the sleeves stopped just short of her elbows. Her eyes wandered over the bodice which showed a tiny bit of her cleavage, at least until she leaned over. Ranma tested the theory and leaned over somewhat and sure enough, she could see her bra covered breasts completely as the dress fell away from her body. She frowned and thought the stark contrast between the black dress and the white undergarments was a little off putting. If she wanted to pull off this look she would need some black underwear so it wouldn't be so obvious. Ranma giggled slightly at the direction her thoughts were drifting to and shook her head in bewilderment. It was almost like she was at least partially a real girl when she changed.

'_Hmm_', Ranma thought as she continued to admire herself in the mirror, '_I wonder if my curse is acting up all of a sudden now. I don't recall ever really thinking like a girl before when I changed, at least not until recently. I can't really ask the old ghoul about it though since she still wants me to marry her great granddaughter and would do something to keep me from becoming a girl._'

"Very nice Ranma", Nabiki said as she clapped lightly. "That dress looks absolutely stunning on you. Now, if we add a pair of heels, a ribbon for your hair, some make-up and a necklace I think you could outshine anyone. This will be a great way to start out your modeling career."

"Thanks", Ranma replied as she smiled radiantly and turned to look at herself in the mirror again. Her hands smoothed out the dress and her bright blue eyes sparkled with a couple of unshed tears. The red-head didn't know why she was reacting the way that she was and didn't particularly care either. She felt beautiful and desirable which in turn made her feel a lot better about her life in general. She didn't feel like she had Ranma Saotome, man amongst men and it was so incredibly liberating.

Nabiki looked at her housemate and found herself in a quandary. On one hand the dress really didn't fit her all that well anymore and it would be put to better use by either Ranma or Akane. On the other, she didn't really want to give anything away for free as it was bad for business. The middle Tendo idly wondered when she had even gotten the dress. Was it hers from middle school or was it actually Akane's and she had 'borrowed' it once and had 'forgotten' to return it?

Before she could continue the thought further, the girls heard what sounded like very angry shouting and another woman's alarmed voice from downstairs. Nabiki and Ranma traded glances and ran out of the room in order to see what was going on.

* * *

><p>Akane walked into the living room and was about to replace the Saotome honor blade on the mantle when she noticed her father and Mr. Saotome still at the Shogi table. She felt her rage boil up within her again and unsheathed the blade. Nodoka noticed this and quickly ran over towards the raven haired girl.<p>

"Akane!", Nodoka said in alarm, "What are you doing?"

"Your bastard husband and my father knew about P-chan all along!", Akane shouted angrily as her body was once again wreathed in a dark red flame. Kasumi walked in at about this time and overheard what her younger sister had said and turned unforgiving eyes on her father as well.

"What is this about, husband?", Nodoka said darkly as she grabbed the katana from Akane's hands and finished walking over towards the two men. Nabiki walked down the stairs with Ranma in tow at this point, wondering what all the shouting was about.

Ranma froze when she saw her fiancée's super angry aura and fled back up the stairs, not sure what was going on. She definitely didn't want to be anywhere near by and decided to retreat to her room. Nabiki noticed but didn't comment as she walked up to her older sister and quietly asked what was going on. Due to the theme of the evening, she definitely didn't want to be near her younger sister especially when she looked like she was going to explode.

"Is this true father?", Kasumi asked with a frown on her face. "Did you really know that Ryoga was P-chan all along?"

"Wait, what?", Nodoka asked confused.

"Akane", Kasumi said gently as she walked over and hugged the girl, "Why don't you leave this to us this time. You've been through too much today and I can see how strained you are. Maybe you should go take a bath and see if you can't relax."

The raven haired girl looked up at her older sister and nodded as her aura vanished. She was much too tired to really be angry anymore and felt nearly completely drained. Taking a long soak in the tub sounded really appealing. With one last glare at Genma she walked up the stairs to her room so she could grab a pair of pajamas and her bathing supplies.

After Akane left the room all eyes and scowls turned towards the men. Kasumi and Nabiki crossed their arms over their chests and began tapping their foot. Nodoka tapped her katana, walked up to her husband and grabbed him by his ear before dragging him away from the table. A look of sorrow crossed over Soun's features and he bowed his head in shame.

"It's true", Soun replied sadly. "It was our hope that Ranma would get jealous of the affection Akane was showing P-chan in order to bring them together."

"You are such a fool Daddy", Kasumi said reproachfully as she shook her head. "Don't you realize that you caused the opposite to happen? If you and Mr. Saotome weren't always trying to push those two together I think they might have become a couple a long time ago. They were so afraid you would force them to marry at the first hint of them showing any affection for one another. Even now they are just friends and that's only because they have been through so much together."

"How could you let that pervert sleep with your daughter?", Nabiki snarled as she clenched her fists.

"Wait", Soun paled and said nervously, "He slept with you? I thought he only stayed in Akane's room at the foot of her bed or something."

"No", Nabiki replied scornfully, "P-chan never slept in my bed thankfully and I do not know if he slept in Kasumi's bed", Nabiki paused and looked at her sister who shook her head as she continued, "but I do know for a fact that he slept in Akane's bed nuzzled between her breasts as though he was just a pet and not a boy."

"They didn't sleep together as humans did they?", Soun said hesitantly as he feared he would have to insist that his youngest marry Ryoga if the two of them had in fact had had sex with one another in order to preserve the family honor. He couldn't fathom his baby girl cheating on Ranma like that and hoped he was just imagining things.

"To my knowledge", Nabiki said angrily, "They never did anything like that. Ryoga dishonorably used his curse to be a pervert and a molester but I don't think the two of them ever had sex with one another. Akane never saw Ryoga as anything more than an acquaintance that seemed to have an unhealthy obsession and hatred towards Ranma. I seriously doubt she'll ever want to be friends with the lost boy now."

* * *

><p>Upstairs, Ranma ran into her room looking frantic and thought she should just leave then while everyone else was busy. The red haired girl definitely didn't want to be on the receiving end of Akane's blood red fiery aura. She looked at herself in the mirror and sighed. A cocktail dress was definitely not suitable traveling attire and there was no time to take a bath to change back either. She needed to go, now.<p>

'_Shouldn't I leave her a letter telling her that I am giving her time and space so I don't ruin her life anymore?_', Ranma thought to herself as she stripped out of the dress and put on her red Chinese shirt and black pants she had been wearing earlier. The red-head left the female undergarments on since she knew she wasn't going to be changing back into a guy anytime soon. She was about to grab her pack when she stopped, honor demanding that she stay and face the consequences of her decisions. Running away was something her father would do and she wanted to be nothing like the lazy and honorless panda.

Ranma headed towards Nabiki's room and picked up the her bathing supplies, robe and towel she had brought in earlier when she had been originally going to take a bath. When she walked out of the middle Tendo's room that's when she saw someone she really didn't want to see at the moment. She felt the blood drain out of her face as she nearly whispered fearfully, "Akane…"

Akane looked at her housemate and raised an eyebrow in curiosity at the other girl's expression and the fear she saw in her eyes. She looked at the bathing supplies in the red-head's hands as well as her own and sighed. The raven haired girl was tired of being angry and just wanted to relax in the bathtub while her sisters laid into her father about his role in keeping P-chan a secret. She also wanted to talk to Ranma and find out why he had done what he did. Since she really couldn't get angry anymore that night, perhaps now would be the best time to get the truth from her, what, girlfriend? Friend? What was Ranma to her now in light of what happened recently as opposed to the wonderful time she had had with the girl the day before.

"Ranma…", Akane said softly, a slight quivering to her voice which caused the red-head's eyebrows to shoot up in alarm. Ranma couldn't tell if the raven haired girl in front of her was going to break down and cry, slug her, or both and it was unnerving.

"I'm sorry", Ranma said quietly and started to head back towards her room so that Akane could have the first bath. She felt a light touch on her arm which encouraged her to stop and turn around. The red-haired girl looked back at the youngest Tendo in confusion and noticed her brown eyes beginning to shimmer as tears threatened to roll down her cheeks.

"Ranma", Akane said again even quieter, "Can I talk to you please?"

To say she was surprised was an understatement and Ranma couldn't help but think something was really off with her fiancée. The nervous girl in front of her was nothing like the incredibly angry typhoon she had been minutes earlier downstairs. Ranma nodded and then asked where she wanted to talk and when.

"Now", Akane said in a stronger voice and dragged the other girl into her bedroom. She closed and locked the door before sitting on her bed with her hands buried in her hands trying to collect her thoughts. Ranma nervously sat down on the bed looking down at the floor and waited patiently for the other girl to do something, she wasn't sure what.

"I want to be angry with you", Akane said in an unsteady voice as she looked over at her female companion, "but I am tired of being angry tonight. I just don't have it in me anymore. I want to understand why you never told me straight out that Ryoga and P-chan were the same. I want to believe that it wasn't some sick game between the two of you where you laugh at the clueless tomboy."

"It was nothing like that I swear", Ranma said sadly as she turned so she could look at her friend, her own blue eyes shimmering. "I am deeply and truly sorry Akane. I will do anything that you ask in an effort to make this up to you. I know that this is pretty much unforgivable and I can only pray that you'll find it within your heart to forgive me, eventually. I was going to leave for awhile in order to give you time and space without me around to mess up your life anymore. If you want me out of your life for good, I will leave and never return."

"I don't want you out of my life Ranma", Akane said sadly as she inched forward and took her girlfriend's hands into her own completely surprising the red-head. The last thing she expected was for the raven haired girl to show her any sort of affection. Ranma rubbed her eyes briefly to remove the tears that had gathered there.

Akane continued and said, "I know you are sorry for what you've done, thank you, but I want to understand why you did what you did. We can go back and forth blaming each other for all of our problems like we did in the past and fight all the time, or", Akane paused and smiled warmly as she gently squeezed her girlfriend's hands, "we can work through this and everything else together."

"R-Really?", Ranma asked incredulously as a bright flare of hope pierced her gloomy state of mind. She could feel the warmth emulating from the youngest Tendo's hands and wondered if she was dreaming. This was the opposite reaction she had expected when the two of them encountered one another so soon after the incident and wasn't sure she could believe it was real.

"I still love you Ranma", Akane said as she smiled and embraced her girlfriend in a fierce hug, "I told you last night that no matter how mad I am at you for something that I would always love you and I meant it."

"I love you too", Ranma replied as she returned the hug and the two girls melted together for a few moments before the raven haired girl roughly pushed her fiancé away from her and created space between them.

"Now buster", Akane said in a voice edged in steel as she glared at her red haired best friend, "This doesn't mean I have forgiven you. I want to understand why you did it, and I want to understand it right now. Then, maybe, I can work on forgiving you if I think you deserve another chance."

Ranma gulped and nodded slowly as she gathered her thoughts. The red-head sighed heavily and said, "Alright, you know about the bread feud and how Ryoga followed me to Jusenkyo nearly two years ago. While Pop and I were there I accidentally knocked Ryoga off the cliff and into one of the cursed pools. After that, we had a fight where you lost your hair."

The Saotome heiress looked down at the bedspread at this point but looked up again when she felt a hand on her arm.

Akane said softly, "I don't blame you for that Ranma." A smile crossed the raven haired girl's face and she said, "I yelled at pig boy earlier for it though."

Ranma quirked a smile at her girlfriend's use of the pig insult like she had done so many times before and continued, "Shortly after that he attacked me in the middle of the night. Now, when I thought your neighbor's dog was Ryoga, I made a mental warrior's promise not to expose his secret. Then I saw you cuddling with a small black pig and you asked me to give it a bath. I was shocked when the pig turned out to be Ryoga but still felt compelled to keep the mental promise I had made on my honor."

The red haired girl sighed as she paused, knowing the next part was going to be hard. "After that, you took him as your pet. I tried to tell you that it was Ryoga but you wouldn't listen and then you did the unthinkable. You kissed him on the snout and it hurt me in a way I didn't even realize was possible at the time. I didn't handle it very well and I stormed off in anger since I couldn't deal with the pain of seeing you kiss Ryoga. Later that night, I snuck into your room with a kettle and threatened to expose Ryoga right then and there unless he came along quietly. Well, we got into a fight and he knocked me into you. Of course you woke up and saw only your perverted freakish fiancé laying on top of you and naturally you began attacking me with your shinai while the pig watched in glee. I told you then and there that the pig was Ryoga but you wouldn't listen and then you punted me out of your window."

Akane looked down at her bedspread in shame as she had recalled the same instance earlier. It wasn't that Ranma had never told her about P-chan/Ryoga, it was that she never believed him, never trusted him to not be a pervert until recently. She really couldn't stay mad at Ranma after all for she was just as guilty of the problems they had faced as he was. Apparently the red haired girl in front of her knew that she would never believe her and stopped trying to convince her. Instead Ranma had tried to protect her from herself and Ryoga as much as possible and all she did was hit the smaller girl for it. Some girlfriend she was, attacking the person she loved when all that person was trying to do was protect her and get her to see the truth.

"Since then", Ranma sighed as she paused, "I have tried many times to tell you about him but you never believed me. You always accused me of picking on P-chan or starting fights with Ryoga but in reality he was always attacking me. He was trying to split us up and it worked for the most part. We never really got along when pig breath was around even when I tried to ignore him. He would always start something and our vicious cycle started all over again."

"I know", Akane said sadly as tears spilled down her cheeks from her shimmering brown eyes. "I'm so sorry Ranma. Despite knowing so many people cursed to turn into animals I just couldn't believe that Ryoga would do what he did. I blocked out all of the obvious clues and everything you said because I didn't want you to be right. I wanted to believe you were pathetic enough to be jealous of a pig because I didn't want to admit to myself how I really felt about you. I used P-chan to push you away just like the lying pig wanted and I am so sorry."

Ranma was shocked, here she thought when they sat down to talk Akane would break up with her, tell her she never wanted to see her again, beaten senseless, something. Instead her girlfriend not only still said she loved her but was now apologizing to her? The red-head pinched herself to see if she was dreaming and yelped in pain as she had pinched too hard.

"You have nothing to be sorry for Akane", Ranma said as she cupped her girlfriend's face and used her thumbs to wipe away some of her tears. "If the situation was reversed, I don't know if I would have believed you either."

"Baka", Akane said teasingly, "You're just saying that in order to help me feel better."

"Maybe", Ranma said sheepishly as she shrugged her shoulders just before she got her second surprise of the evening.

Akane stared into her girlfriend's eyes and smiled for a few moments before she tackled the smaller girl on her bed. Ranma let out a small squeak in surprise before she found her mouth under attack from Akane's relentless assault. The two girls kissed one another passionately as they let go of the mental anguish that had plagued them all day as well as their insecurities. They pressed their chests together as they kissed one another with a passion that rivaled that of the day before at the Meiji Shrine.

Ranma moaned appreciably and her hands wandered over her girlfriend's back. Akane took advantage of the red-head's opened mouth and slid her tongue through the opening. The Saotome heiress gasped and the raven haired girl deepened the kiss as she inched up Ranma's body in order to kiss her fiancé from a better angle. She felt their breasts rub against one another and she noticed a sensation of pleasure across her nipples as they hardened underneath her bra. Akane noted absently that her female companion that was normally a guy was wearing a bra for some reason but pushed the thought aside. It would just be one more article of clothing to remove if they decided to go a little further that night.

The two girls intermingled their tongues and sucked in each other's air as they intensified their kisses. They breathed in each other's pheromones and found their womanhoods were beginning to moisten and a warm fire ignited in their loins. A red, pink and white aura shimmered into existence around them as their inner passions ignited in a blazing surge of energy that threatened to overtake them. They moaned together and felt the internal warmth turn into a raging wildfire that spread throughout their bodies in a powerful wave of heat and pleasure. The Ki-kiss intensified and Ranma slipped her hands underneath Akane's blouse around her hips and felt the other girl's creamy smooth skin underneath her fingers. Akane moaned appreciably at the warmth and felt a tingling sensation at every point of contact between them as she placed her hands on the swells of Ranma's breasts. The raven haired girl thought about unbuttoning her girlfriend's shirt but wasn't sure Ranma was ready for that. There was also the ever present danger of being spied on by their family just outside the door and their moans would only get louder if they continued.

Reluctantly, Akane broke the kiss and whispered into her girlfriend's ear, "I think we should stop for now Ranma. I am deeply enjoying this, don't get me wrong, but we really don't want our family to know about this right?"

Ranma shivered from her fiancée's breath in her ear and nodded, missing the other girl's touch. Akane flashed her a smile and climbed off her girlfriend before squirming uncomfortably in her wet panties. She looked over at the red haired girl and noticed a similar reaction when Ranma sat up and giggled slightly. Apparently both of them were feeling the same thing which brought a smile to the tomboy's face.

"In fact", Akane smirked and said quietly, "I have an idea of how we can get them off our backs even more. How about you go on your training trip like you were going to originally since you wanted to give me space. Then, after I've 'cooled down' by Friday, I can come join you and we can train this weekend like we planned."

Akane's eyes twinkled as she licked her lips before kissing Ranma on the mouth again. The two girls moaned softly as they kissed each other nearly senseless for a few minutes. Breathing heavily, Akane broke the kiss and whispered seductively, "We could even finish what we've started here tonight since we will be alone together."

"Would your sisters let you go?", Ranma asked hesitantly as she blushed furiously when she thought about what they had done and might do if they didn't have to worry about meddlesome older sisters and parents. She liked the plan but wanted to make sure about the details.

"I'll just say I am going to go look for you in order to bring you back which would be true", Akane replied, a devilish smile on her face. "You just need to tell me where you're going to be. I know, you can write a short letter telling me that you left because you thought I needed some time away from you and that you were going to train at the camp site we agreed on for this weekend. You can tell me in the letter that if I was willing to forgive you this is where you would be so that I could find you if I wanted to."

"Ranma", Akane said seriously as she cupped her girlfriend's face in her hands before kissing her deeply, "I do forgive you. I hope you can forgive me for never believing you and always thinking the worst about you. I promise you that won't happened again, just as you promised me last night that you would never keep such a large secret from me ever again. I trust you Ranma with my heart as well as my life now."

"I forgive you Akane and thank you for trusting me. Now, I guess I really should confess the other big secret I have been hiding from you", Ranma said slyly with a twinkle in her mischievous blue eyes. Akane narrowed her eyes before she caught the teasing elements in her girlfriend's expression and giggled slightly, having a feeling she knew what Ranma was going to say.

"What is this other really big secret?", Akane asked as she stood up from the bed and crossed her arms over her chest and glared at the red haired girl in mock anger and tapped her foot in fake impatience.

"Oh nothing major", Ranma said casually with a brilliant sunny smile on her face, "Just that I love you more than anything and want to marry you some day."

"I love you too", Akane said as her face lit up and split into the largest sunny smile Ranma had ever seen. The raven haired girl grabbed her hand and pulled her into a bone crushing hug, squeezing Ranma in an Amazon glomp Shampoo would be proud of.

"Can't… breathe…", Ranma wheezed out and then collapsed back onto the bed when her girlfriend released her.

She coughed a couple times and then said, "For the record Akane, I really don't like those bone crushing hugs. Can we stick to gentle and comfortable hugs instead? They feel much better and they don't remind me of a certain overly enthusiastic Amazon."

"Oh", Akane said sheepishly as she blushed and looked away shyly, "Sorry. I see your point. I'll keep that in mind from now on."

Akane offered her hand again and Ranma took it and stood up. She walked over to the desk and sat down and pulled out some paper in order to write the letter they had talked about. The raven haired girl stood behind her fiancé and rested her hands on the smaller girl's shoulders.

"You know", the raven haired girl said playfully as she twirled some of Ranma's hair in her fingers, "I never did get a chance to yell at you for the whole P-chan thing. It would be a shame if I missed that opportunity, even if I don't really mean it."

"Hmm, yes that would be a shame", Ranma said sarcastically with a smile on her face. She turned to look at her girlfriend when suddenly her lips were captured in yet another passionate kiss. The red-head began to swoon a little as Akane deepened the kiss and put her arms around Ranma's neck.

When they broke the kiss a few moments later, Ranma said, "The way I figure it we can do this one of two ways. If you're yelling at me like you want to do", the red-head paused as she gave her girlfriend a forced glare of annoyance which caused Akane to giggle, "then I really can't leave a letter for you to 'find' me. If I truly left with no intention of coming back you wouldn't find me in two days. What's going to happen when I come back Sunday afternoon with you? On the other hand, If I leave the letter because I am giving you space, then you can easily 'find' me and talk me into coming back. You can even show them the letter and it'll tell you where I am and everything."

Ranma sighed and closed her eyes for a moment and then said, "I just don't see how we can really do it your way without causing more questions than we want to answer."

"It's just that I won't be able to yell at you if we do it the letter way", Akane said as she pouted. She had been looking forward to testing her acting skills and performing in front of her family. A small part of her was still mad at her girlfriend and wanted to yell at her even if she didn't mean any of the things she was going to say.

"I see", Ranma smirked and giggled. "So you are still mad at me for earlier then."

"Of course I am baka", Akane replied as her eyes glinted mischievously and a smirk appeared on her lips. "I wanted to punish you for your crimes against me without actually hurting either one of us."

"Well", Ranma drawled out slowly as her smile turned into a matching smirk, "You can still 'punish' me this weekend if things go as planned."

Akane blushed as she caught what Ranma really meant and smiled brightly. The raven haired girl climbed off the desk and sat in her fiancé's lap before giving her another kiss as she wrapped her arms around the smaller girl's neck. The two girls then lost themselves in one another again as they kissed one another passionately for a few minutes before breaking apart again.

"You know", Ranma replied semi-seriously with a twinkle in her eye, "We're never going to get this done if we keep kissing like this. Sooner or later we'll probably wind up on the bed again, maybe even half naked and we'll get caught. Not that I mind the kissing and half naked parts one bit mind you, but having _them_ find out…"

"Yeah…", Akane said wistfully as she stared into Ranma's blue eyes and felt herself getting lost in them. Unable to help herself she bent down and kissed the girl again before resigning to the fact that they weren't getting their plan underway with all of the 'breaks' they kept taking. She climbed off Ranma's lap and sat on the corner of her desk again as the red haired girl finished writing the letter she would leave on Akane's desk for the youngest Tendo to 'find' in the morning.

"I should probably get going. I am really going to miss you over the next few days especially since we aren't fighting like I thought we would be", Ranma said sadly as she stood up from the youngest Tendo's desk. Akane frowned but nodded slowly as she climbed off her desk as well and the two girls embraced one another in a loving embrace.

"Wait Ranma", Akane said as she handed the other girl her bathing supplies. "You should probably take a bath before you go. When I come down to take my bath we can have some sort of awkward moment, maybe that's when I can yell at you. Then you can take off from your bedroom so no one knows."

"You really have this fascination with yelling at me tonight don't you?", Ranma replied as she smirked teasingly. She knew she deserved every bit of Akane's anger and was very thankful to the great Kamis that she had been spared that fate.

"Please?", Akane asked with her puppy dog eyes, "I really want to yell at you, but I don't want to mean it."

"It's just that, if you yell that you never want to see me again, why am I leaving you a letter telling you where I am. Secondly, why am I coming back with you on Sunday?", Ranma replied, tying to get the other girl to see that both plans wouldn't work. Of course it also helped that Ranma really didn't want to be yelled at, even if she did deserve it.

Akane frowned but nodded, seeing the logic in her girlfriend's argument. She also couldn't miss the gleam in Ranma's eyes and knew that the girl didn't want to be yelled at either and was arguing against that as well. It made sense, after all who really enjoys being yelled at?

"Tell you what Akane", Ranma replied with a smile on her face, "Why don't you yell at me when you find me this weekend. I'm sure I'll do something to deserve it. Oh, by the way, make sure you bring a swimsuit with you this weekend. I am going to teach your lead filled ass how to swim."

"RAAAAAANNNNNMMMMAAAAAA!", Akane yelled as the girl in question grinned and bolted out of the room in order avoid the raven haired girl's half hearted punch. The youngest Tendo stopped and started laughing as she silently thanked her girlfriend. Akane's face split into a sunny smile as she whispered to herself, "I love you Ranma."

'_Ah, true love at its finest. I think you'll be just fine my daughter…_'

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><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it. _

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><p><em><span>Akane's current aura color combinations:<span> _

_Ki-cocoon: White, Pink, Red - Confidence, Love, Passion _

_Fl__aming Battle Aura: Dark Red, Black - Anger, Hate_


	6. Absence Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

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><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Chapter Five

_Absence Only Makes the Heart Grow Fonder_

.

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Akane moaned slightly as she moved around in her bed, deeply entrenched in a very sensual and erotic dream starring none other than her favorite red haired girl. Her calm was shattered by the obnoxious squawking of a certain mechanical device of to her right. She groaned as she became aware of her real surroundings, including the uncomfortable fact that her panties were wet and sighed heavily. The youngest Tendo shut off her alarm clock and got out of bed and stretched lazily. Her eyes fell on the note that Ranma had written the evening before and she felt her heart lurch for a second. Even though it was staged and they were both in on it, fact of the matter was, her girlfriend had left her and she felt a sense of loss in her heart. It was not a feeling she ever wanted to get used to.

The raven haired girl stripped off her clothes and put on a new set of underwear before picking out her grey sweatpants and a red tank top to go jogging in. Her eyes wandered over towards the letter again and wondered if there were any hidden messages for her that anyone else reading it wouldn't pick up. As she read through it her fiancé's slightly messy scrawl she noticed that some of the characters were backwards. Akane suddenly felt excited and brought out another piece of paper so she could transcribe the backwards characters in a single sentence and learn what Ranma wanted to tell her.

Akane went through the letter and made sure she had all of the characters that were different. Not all of them were backwards but rather some were backwards and upside down while others were just upside down. Akane puzzled out the message and smiled happily as it read, "I love you Akane, always and forever. Yours for as long you want me, Ranma."

'_I want you forever Ranma. I am your tomboy and you are my baka, no one else's_', Akane thought to herself as she shook her head at her girlfriend's insecurity that she still didn't think she was worthy of her when she was the one with three fiancées and more suitors than any one person could stand.

'_I wonder if that's why she has been a girl so much lately_', Akane mused as she put the letter away in her top drawer. '_Is she trying to reduce the amount of pressure on her from everyone that sees her as a prize to be won or an obstacle to overcome? Maybe it's simpler than that and she's exploring what it means to be a girl now that she's accepted the curse as a part of her. She looked really cute in that black cocktail dress last night, shame she changed out of it before we ran into each other upstairs. Although I wonder where she got it from, it did look vaguely familiar._'

Akane left her room and walked into the guest room and headed over towards the closet. She hoped she would find the dress hanging on a hangar so it wouldn't get wrinkled. After searching for a few minutes she finally found it, hidden in the back behind a lot of other clothes. In retrospect it made perfect sense, after all the red haired girl wouldn't want Genma to find it. The balding panda would destroy it seeing as how much he hated Ranma's girl form. While searching through she found another stash of girl clothing and gasped, '_Where and when did she get all of this?_'

There were boxes and boxes of clothes, mostly skirts and dresses which seemed really strange for Ranma. Another box had lots of translucent lingerie and Akane couldn't help but wonder why her sometimes girlfriend had all that stuff. It looked like intimates that Happosai would want to get his grubby little hands on. She looked at the side of the box and sure enough, there was lettering that read, "Happosai collection". The raven haired girl grimaced and quickly put that box away, feeling dirty having touched the box even though the clothes were clean.

'_Why does Ranma have all this? Oh wait, maybe this is from her Ranko Tendo days. Auntie Saotome always thought Ranko was too much of a tomboy_', Akane smirked at that thought considering Ranma's favorite pet name for her, '_She probably bought all this stuff in order to make a lady out of her. It looks like a lot of this can't be returned. Well, I'm sure Ranma won't mind if I borrow a few things._'

The youngest Tendo grabbed a few boxes along with the cocktail dress and moved the clothing into her bedroom. She would sort through it later as she was running slightly late for her run as it was by that point. Even if Ranma minded, she had a couple days where her fiancé wouldn't be around so she might as well take a look and see if anything looked good on her, assuming it fit.

Ranma had always said when the red-head had worn her clothes that the bust was too tight and the waist was too big. Such comments had always made the youngest Tendo angry before but fact of the matter was the two of them were different sizes. They were about the same height but their other dimensions were different from one another. Not better, not worse, just different. Akane sighed at the realization that perhaps Ranma hadn't been trying to insult her the few times the red-head had worn her clothes.

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><p>Akane left the confines of the Tendo compound and hit the pavement jogging as she breathed in the clear but chilly air. She kept her speed down and warmed up her leg muscles in order to prepare her body for a hard run that morning. She also planned to do more wall running figuring if she had to concentrate on not breaking her ankle she wouldn't feel her heart ache as much. The youngest Tendo knew the next three days were going to be rough on her, perhaps she should have tried to convince Ranma to stay and they could have pretended to ignore one another or something instead of her actually leaving.<p>

As the youngest Tendo ran along her traditional walls she kept a look out for something a little narrower so as try something a little more challenging. Twenty centimeters (slightly less than 8 inches) was just too easy and she could do that at a full run. Finally she came upon another section of wall that was approximately fifteen centimeters (6 inches) wide and had the added incentive of being nearly two meters in the air. If she lost her balance and didn't correct herself in midair the fall was going to hurt.

There were two ways to get on top of the wall she figured. The youngest Tendo could either pull herself up or she could do a short run and leap on top of the wall, or so she hoped. Ranma hadn't worked on tree hopping and roof jumping with her yet but even she should be able to handle a measly two meter height with her powerful legs. Akane backed up a little and ran at the wall, timing her steps before leaping into the air to land on top of the wall perfectly. She grinned and then started jogging down the wall as she didn't want to try it at a full run yet. Thanks to her small feet the fifteen centimeter wide wall wasn't really that hard but she didn't want to fall off in a moment of carelessness.

As she approached the end of the wall she spied a ten meter or something gap between her present wall and one of equal height and width on the other side. Akane stopped jogging and stood balanced on her current wall and regarded the gap carefully. The last thing she needed to do was injure herself days before she was planning to go on a training mission with her girlfriend or boyfriend, depending on who showed up. She would never hear the end of it from Ranma if she got hurt, reluctantly she hopped down to the sidewalk. Akane got into position and hopped up onto the other section of the wall and continued her balance training as she jogged along. By this time other joggers were watching her in amazement at her display of balance prowess. She grinned as she waved and continued on her merry way, her spirits lifted despite the ache in her heart because Ranma was gone.

Akane was really glad she and Ranma had been able to talk things out the previous evening despite the extra pain it caused her that morning. The youngest Tendo didn't have to worry about her anger festering because her punching bag was a coward, having run off before she could exact her vengeance for the P-chan secret. She would have to pretend to be mad at her fiancé though, which would allow her to practice her acting skills without any actual anger eating her up inside. It was a win-win, not to mention the fun she had had making out with her girlfriend. Her heart ached again when she thought of the red-head's soft and delicious lips and smooth, creamy skin. Akane felt her heart begin to race as her breath shortened and she knew it had nothing to do with her jogging on the walls as she thought about her little red haired soul mate.

She felt tempted to go to Ranma's campsite that morning but ultimately knew it would cause too many problems. First, she would get in trouble with her family for missing yet another three days. With her trip to China recently, combined with the present week meant she'd miss nearly three weeks. Her sisters would be disappointed with her. Finally, Ranma left in order to give her a chance to 'cool down' so how would it look if she went after her a few hours after she had left? She wasn't mad at her anymore and wanted to hold the red-head and kiss the poor girl senseless. Akane sighed as she jogged back towards her house and longed for her girlfriend's soft touch. It was going to be a really long three days. Friday couldn't come fast enough in her opinion.

Akane stepped into the entryway and put her shoes away before quirking an eyebrow at the sound of someone yelling in the living room. She sighed and shook her head in annoyance. Dealing with Genma on the best day was tiresome and irritating. The raven haired girl really didn't want to hear him complain about Ranma when she was missing the red-head so much.

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><p>"I'm home", Akane called as she stepped into the living room. Everyone except Nodoka and Kasumi were seated at the table waiting, some more patiently than others, for the two women to bring breakfast out. She really would rather have had a bath before breakfast but settled on eating first when she saw them carry out food a few seconds later.<p>

"Where did my worthless son run off to?", Genma bellowed to the room at large before taking a monster serving of rice and stuffing his face with it. Nodoka smacked him lightly with the back of her hand and the overweight man quieted down.

"Oh my!, Ranma is missing?", Kasumi said, feigning shock as she spooned out some rice for herself. Akane sat down in her customary spot, not even looking phased at the mention of Ranma not being around. She put a mask of indifference on her face and started to eat quickly.

"Akane", Soun said as he set aside his newspaper, "Where is your fiancé?"

"How should I know where the pervert is?", Akane snapped, trying to sound angry and that she didn't care about her missing girlfriend.

"Akane!", Nodoka said reproachfully, beating Kasumi to the punch, "Why would you say such a horrible thing about Ranma?"

"Easy", the raven haired girl growled, "He lied to me about my pet. He let a boy sleep in my bed and defile me. I never want to see him again."

"Oh come on Akane", the Saotome matriarch said gently, "I'm sure you don't mean that."

"Why shouldn't I mean it?", Akane replied scathingly, her fake anger becoming real as she said, "What's worse is that your baka panda of a husband and my father knew about it all along and they allowed it continue."

All eyes turned on the two older men and they paled under the combined glares of the women at the table.

Akane threw down her chopsticks and left the table, intent on taking a bath since she had lost her appetite as real anger boiled to the surface from within her. She tried really hard to keep from really feeling it towards Ranma but found she couldn't entirely. Despite missing the red-head and their make out session the night before, she was still mad at her fiancé for his role in keeping the secret from her. She knew it was silly since she had never believed him but she couldn't help but still feel upset about the whole thing.

"Weren't those two together last night?", Nabiki asked the room emotionlessly, not really expecting an answer.

"I don't think so Nabiki", Kasumi said gently. "Ranma packed up his camping gear and left some time last night. I do hope he is alright, perhaps he will be back Sunday."

"How can you be so calm about this?", the middle Tendo asked, irritated that her model had run off. Nabiki nearly face palmed a moment later though since she herself had suggested that Ranma leave for a few days to give her sister some time and space.

"Akane and Ranma need some time and space away from one another given what's happened lately", Kasumi replied. "He knows Akane is mad at him and rather than the two of them fight about it like they used to all the time and ruin their friendship, he has chosen temporary banishment."

"My cowardly worthless son has run away", Genma balled, "I'm so ashamed."

"Husband…", Nodoka said in a steely voice as she looked over at the mantle where her sword rested. The movement was not lost on the panda one bit.

"Now now Saotome", Soun said slyly, "Perhaps it was a good thing he did. After all, if they are fighting with one another all the time the schools will never be joined. They take this little break from one another and when he comes back maybe they'll miss each other enough to profess their feelings for one another."

"You're right Tendo, brilliant", Genma replied as the two began waving victory flags and dancing around like idiots.

Akane came back down the stairs with her toiletries in hand and shook her head as she said in a disgusted tone, "Honestly…"

* * *

><p>The youngest Tendo didn't wait around for an answer and walked into the changing room so she could take a bath before school. She stripped out of her work out clothes and walked into the bathing room itself. Akane looked at herself in the mirror and sighed wistfully as her temporary anger at her fiancé evaporated and started to miss her girlfriend again. She looked at her body and ran her hands along her curves before gently cupping her breasts and smiled at the soft touch. The raven haired girl tried to imagine Ranma's smaller hands on them instead of her own. She wondered idly if they would reach that stage with one another over the weekend since they wouldn't have to worry about their families barging in and ruining the moment. '<em>Unless of course Kasumi comes with me…<em>'

'_I'm the smallest girl I know_', Akane thought to herself as she continued to hold her breasts in her hands, '_Ranma has said in the past that she would rather be smaller, closer to my size. She says her larger chest gets in the way of some of her martial arts and that I should be happy with my body the way it is. Perhaps she's right, after all before she showed up I was happy with myself the way I was. Why did I get so jealous of her when we first met if I didn't want a bigger chest? Maybe some part of me was offended that a boy was better built than I was but considering I don't really want a large chest, is it really "better" built?_'

Akane sat down on the washing stool and thought about her girlfriend as she scrubbed the grime off her body from jogging that morning. She remembered the pleasurable dream she had been having just before her alarm clock had woken her up. Her thoughts turned somewhat erotic and her hands wandered around her body as she scrubbed herself clean. When Akane's hands brushed the sensitive flesh between her legs, combined with her thoughts, her womanhood began to grow warm and a tingling sensation spread throughout her body. The raven haired girl giggled softly at the irony of calling Ranma and the rest of the boys perverts when she was entertaining herself with thoughts of a certain naked red haired girl. Once she was done soaping up and rinsed off, she sat in the tub for a few moments reflecting on the feelings her body were providing for her. She frowned, realizing she didn't have the time to really explore her more intimate thoughts and feelings since she had to go to school.

After her bath, Akane was up in her room brushing her hair when she thought, '_I hope Mousse is able to get that hair formula. I would like to surprise Ranma with long hair this weekend if possible. Assuming it works and it works that quickly that is._'

* * *

><p>Akane walked to school feeling lonely and kept glancing up at the thin metal fence that bordered the canal. She wasn't sure if she could walk up there as it was approximately only three centimeters wide. There was also the thought that she didn't want anyone to see up her dress if they happened to be on the sidewalk as well. That was when she heard the tell tale sounds of a bicycle being ridden at inhuman speeds. She looked up with a grimace on her face as Shampoo landed right in front of her.<p>

"Where Airen?", the Amazon demanded as she looked around, not noticing or caring that she had nearly flattened the raven haired girl who was scowling at her.

"Who knows, who cares? Obviously he isn't here though or you'd see him", Akane said distractedly as she walked around the other girl and proceeded to school. She wasn't about to give Shampoo the satisfaction that she had internally flinched when she had been nearly hit.

Shampoo growled and leapt in front of the youngest Tendo and pulled out her chuís and stood in a combat stance, "Give Airen so he take Shampoo on date."

"Do you see Ranma anywhere? Now be a good little girl and run back to your old ghoul", Akane said sarcastically, invoking her version of the Soul of Ice in order to remain calm. She refused to let the Amazon bait her into getting angry. The raven haired girl had realized awhile ago that she fought really sloppily when she allowed her opponents to anger her. Since then she had resolved to control her anger and use it as a tool to enhance her strength instead of becoming a berserker. The raven haired girl had even toyed around with the idea that maybe she could enhance her speed instead like Ranma did. After all it really didn't matter how hard you hit if you weren't fast enough to actually hit anything, something Ryoga had never learned.

Shampoo quirked an eyebrow at the youngest Tendo, confusion written all over her face, "When Kitchen Destroyer become calm?"

"Bye Shampoo", Akane said as she shrugged and once again stepped around the Amazon and continued on to school. The youngest Tendo was determined to ignore the girl but maintained a lock on her aura to ascertain whether the Amazon would attack or not.

The Amazon stood in the middle of the road and scratched her head. Something strange was definitely going on. Akane was not known to be a calm person, especially where her Airen was concerned and yet she didn't seem to care where Ranma was. On top of that Shampoo had been unable to goad the other girl into getting angry, her trademark emotional state.

Shampoo followed the other girl for a bit before heading back towards the Nekohanten pondering the change in her Airen and the youngest Tendo. It almost seemed like they switched personalities in a way. Ranma had attacked her the day before with a Ki-blast without warning or provocation and Akane had given her the cold shoulder and dismissed her. Perhaps her great grandmother would be able to shed some light on the situation.

Akane frowned as she sensed Shampoo following her for a bit, apparently confused at her behavior. She shrugged and continued down the road until she could see the gates to her high school. Dozens of boys holding various sports related items stood inside waiting. Her eyes wandered over towards the tree and landed on Kuno and she sighed. Apparently they had given her a reprieve the day before but it looked like the scenario Sayuri had mentioned had indeed come to pass. The Hentai Horde was back, with it's baka chieftain ready to resume the morning fight.

Steeling her emotions, she charged forward through the gates. Instead of bashings perverts aside like she used to before Ranma came though, she ducked and weaved in between their unskilled attacks looking like a drunken dancer. She flowed around the boys rather effortlessly and made it to the front steps where she continued into the school hardly breaking a sweat.

* * *

><p>Nabiki watched impassively while her sister gave the boys the attention they deserved and started writing up the names of everyone involved. She had warned them on Monday not to harass her sister ever again and it looked like they had managed to listen for one day. It was time to hit them a little harder than mere words, maybe they would back off for two days. The middle Tendo didn't think they were smart enough to back off longer than that.<p>

"Kuno-baby", Nabiki said icily as she grabbed the kenoist by the ear and dragged him off towards the maintenance shed, "Can I talk to you for a few moments?"

"Unhand me you wretched mercenary", Kuno snarled as he staggered along following the middle Tendo girl's grip on his ear.

"Now then", the middle Tendo said as she narrowed her eyes, "What part of 'don't harass my sister anymore' didn't you understand? Your so-called 'fierce tigress' wants nothing to do with you. She has given her heart to Saotome of her own free will. There is no demonic sorcery or any of that other nonsense you can come up with in that puny delusional mind of yours. You're actions are above and beyond simple attempts to court her. You stalk and sexually harass her, as well as the pig-tailed girl. You're actions are criminal Kuno and I suggest you stop before you find yourself in prison."

"Surely thy words are nary but a falsehood", Kuno sneered as he stood regally with his bokken over his shoulder, "Thou speakest as though a mere jail cell could possibly contain the heavenly and righteous might of mine own magnificence. Hear these words of mine for I am the Blue Thunder of Furinkan High."

"What is righteous about forcing yourself on a girl who has told you countless times she doesn't want anything to do with you?", Nabiki asked, irritated with the delusional self proclaimed samurai who seemed to know absolutely nothing about what they were.

"My loves love me, I know this to be truth. That wretched snake Saotome hath enslaved my two pinnacles of beauty", Kuno replied defiantly, staring at Nabiki like she was blind to what he knew to be the truth. How could he be the only one that saw Saotome as the evil enslaving demon that he was? Why would the fair Akane pick that wretched cur over his own magnificence?

"I just told you Akane picked Saotome of her own free will. Ranma is not a demon or a sorcerer you idiot", the middle Tendo said exasperatedly as she threw her hands up into the air and walked away. The bell was going to ring soon and unlike other people she wanted to be in class on time.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Yuka and Sayuri were standing around Akane's desk asking her why she didn't beat the stuffing out of the Hentai Horde that morning. Akane rolled her eyes and put her head down on her desk, wishing everyone would just leave her alone for the day. The raven haired girl didn't even notice when Ukyo walked by, not that she would have said anything to the okinomiyaki chef anyway if she could help it. As in the case of Shampoo, the youngest Tendo hadn't forgiven her for the destruction of the dojo the previous Saturday when they ruined Ranma and hers wedding ceremony. Granted, Akane was actually glad the two of them hadn't gotten married that day but there was no way she would ever tell the other girls that.<p>

"So Akane", Yuka said as she looked around and noticed a certain missing someone, "Why didn't you beat up those perverts this morning and where is Ranma?"

"I'm tired of fighting with them and decided to see if they might leave me alone if I ignored them", Akane said wearily. "I am going to treat them with amount of attention they deserve, which is none and see if that helps. Maybe they are like other kinds of bullies, if you ignore them they will go away since they thrive on the attention."

Yuka and Sayuri shrugged and nodded as Yuka said, "I hope it works out that way for you Akane. These are the perverted boys of the Hentai Horde we're talking about here though."

"Yeah", the raven haired girl agreed, "Bashing their heads in each morning didn't seem to help either though. They weren't _that_ great of a stress reliever since none of them stood long enough to take more than a single punch."

The other two girls giggled for a few seconds before Sayrui asked, "And Ranma?"

"The baka ran off last night", Akane said quietly, hoping her voice didn't betray how she really felt about their separation.

"Really?", Sayuri replied with a look of surprise on her face, "What happened between you two?"

"I can't talk about it here", the raven haired girl said softly as she raised her head and looked at her two best friends, pleading with her eyes.

Yuka and Sayuri nodded and understood. It seemed like it was time to have another ice cream social after school. The teacher walked in at that point and the bell rang, so everyone returned to their seats. He looked around at the desks and frowned, as everyone was there except a certain pigtailed boy.

"Miss Tendo", the teacher said in order to get Akane's attention, "Where is Mr. Saotome?"

"I don't know Sensei", the youngest Tendo replied in a faked irritated voice, "He ran off last night without telling anyone where he was going. I wouldn't expect to see him for awhile, if ever again."

"I see, very well then. Should I bother giving you his homework assignments?"

"I guess", Akane sighed tiredly, "If he comes back and I don't kill him, maybe he'll stick around long enough to finish the term and do his homework."

The teacher nodded his head and proceeded to call roll before starting the lecture about the various trigonometry functions they were going to start covering that day. Akane just wanted to go home and sleep the next few days away so she could be with her girlfriend sooner than later. She couldn't even imagine how she would be feeling if Ranma had left without them having talked things out.

'_No, that's not true_', Akane thought as she smirked to herself, '_I'd be stark raving mad if he had left before we cleared the air, as well as each other's tonsils._'

Her mind drifted back to their last make out session and she licked her dry lips as the scenario played itself out in her mind. Akane could almost feel the softness of the other girl touching her skin as she closed her eyes. She knew she couldn't let her imagination run away from her or else she's start touching herself in public and if that didn't get people's attention, her moans certainly would. She would not become a pervert like all of those sex crazed boys. Fortunately the sudden noise of the intercom system snapped her out of her daydream and kept her from embarrassing herself.

"Aloha kiddies", the fake Hawaiian principal said over the loudspeaker, "Dis be da principal and I have a grand announcement to make. I have decided to host a Valentine's Day dance next Saturday night in the school gym. Ten days boys and girls, get your dates and be ready for some fun eh? Da big Kahuna out."

As expected, the girls in the class began to talk animatedly about who they would bring while the guys looked like they were going to faint. Yuka and Sayuri said to their raven haired friend that Ranma had better be back in time or they were going to personally make it so he could never father children.

Akane grimaced at the threat and hoped privately that her girlfriend who could be a boy sometimes would be willing to go to the dance. The youngest Tendo had never been to a dance before and was really looking forward to it. The problem was she didn't want to go with anyone but Ranma. A small smile formed on her lips as she thought of a way to get her fiancé to be a little more agreeable to going.

Hikaru Gosunkugi looked over at Akane and thought, '_With Ranma gone, perhaps this will be chance to go on a date with Akane Tendo. I will have to check my books for the proper spells. This will be the greatest Valentine's Day ever!_'

'_Hmm_', Ukyo mused to herself as a sly smile appeared on her lips, '_I wonder if Ranchan will like my newest okinomyaki. He just needs to come back before the dance and I'll treat him to dinner at my place. I'll even invite Akane along too so she doesn't get all defensive and I can try out my newest anti-okinomiyaki on her. The uncute tomboy will hate the first male she sees, which should be Ranma and dump him. I'll be the next girl he sees and he'll fall in love with me._'

Mr. Moto sighed and sat down at his desk as he thought, '_Figures that Kuno idiot would announce something as big as a dance at the beginning of class. I'll give them a couple of minutes to get it out of their system, though I doubt anyone will be listening very attentively to me today._'

* * *

><p>Later on, just before noon, Sakura Ishkarashi stared at her computer monitor and shook her head in aggravation. The auburn haired woman couldn't seem to find the file on the little red haired girl that had rescued her the other night. The only Ranma Saotome that appeared in the police's database was that of a black haired boy. The guy was handsome in a rough kind of way but Sakura wasn't interested in pursuing guys. Her "husband" had been suitable enough for those needs the few times she had had any interest. No, what she wanted was a woman who could satisfy her <em>other<em> wants and needs.

In truth, Jiro Hitoshi was her fiancé by way of an arranged marriage, not her husband thank Kami-sama despite what the elder Hitoshis thought. She hated the idea that she would be stuck with a man she tolerated but didn't love at all. Oh sure, the sex was somewhat amusing and his parents spoiled her something rotten but she really didn't feel much of anything for guys in general, let alone Jiro. The man worked long hours at some thankless job and rarely had time for her, not that she minded that much.

When Sakura wasn't working at her part time job at the police station she was out partying at nightclubs across the greater Tokyo megalopolis. She tended to stick to the bars and clubs that leaned towards women being overly friendly with one another and had had many eventful one night stands over the last few months. Her tiresome fiancé was oblivious and his parents, whom she lived with, were completely clueless.

She knew her recklessness would get her in trouble eventually and sure enough, last Saturday she was attacked by seven thugs. The beautiful red haired girl, Ranma, had saved her from the horrible fate of gang rape followed by possible murder. In an effort to repay the girl for her kindness, as well as satisfy her own lusts, she had tried to seduce the martial artist only to be roughly rebuked. The younger girl had mentioned a fiancée she already loved which told Sakura the girl was indeed a lesbian as she had hoped for.

But now, no matter how hard the auburn haired woman looked, she couldn't find any evidence of a female Ranma Saotome anywhere. Sakura growled in frustration again and decided to give her old friend Nabiki a call and see if the mercenary sister had any information on the subject.

"Hello?", Nabiki said curiously as she answered her phone. The middle Tendo put down her chopsticks and focused her attention on her unknown caller. Perhaps it would be someone interesting. Since the boycott had only begun that a day or so ago and the lawsuits had not been initiated yet, she doubted it was anyone having news about her latest schemes.

"Na-chan? How are you?', Sakura asked pleasantly trying to remove all of the irritation from her voice.

"Sa-chan, it's been awhile my old friend and I am doing fine thanks. How is your girl hunting going?", Nabiki replied, amusement evident in her voice. The middle Tendo knew all about her friend's hobby of hunting girls for one night stands. Even though she found the practice rather distasteful herself, she certainly wasn't going to turn down 'finder's fees' for her friend's hook-ups. Besides, having a loyal friend that worked in the Nerima Police Department really came in handy sometimes.

"You know me too well Na-chan", Sakura said as she grinned wolfishly.

"Remember Sa-chan you still owe me a couple of favors for those other girls I hooked you up with. Are you sure you want to owe me another one?", Nabiki asked with her trademark smirk audible through the telephone receiver.

"I know, but this girl was special. She beat up seven thugs in under ten seconds like they were nothing", Sakura said dreamily and squirmed in her chair as she felt herself getting aroused daydreaming about making love to Ranma's girl form.

"Let me guess", Nabiki said slowly as she sighed heavily, "the girl was short and big breasted, wore her red hair in a pigtail and was wearing Chinese clothes…" '_Oh Ranma, what have you done now? You might be better off with your fiancée brigade than appearing on Sakura's radar._'

"Exactly!, well except the pigtail part", Sakura exclaimed and then continued, "She was so incredibly beautiful and had the softest pair of lips I have ever kissed, not to mention a really nice pair of breasts that felt wonderful to the touch. She said her name was Ranma Saotome, I take it you know her? I've checked her police records only to find that she doesn't exist. All I can come up with is some guy that I would have no interest in."

The middle Tendo scowled and thought heatedly, '_Ranma! How dare you consort with Sakura while you are engaged to Akane who loves you. I swear if you break my little sister's heart I will make your life a living hell. You'll wish Saffron had killed you in China by the time I am through with you!_'

"You'll love this Sa-chan", Nabiki replied sarcastically with a huge grin on her face, "That little red-head you're lusting after is the male Ranma you found in your computers…"

"What? Impossible!", Sakura shouted as she interrupted the middle Tendo's explanation. The auburn haired woman stood up and began pacing back and forth in her office growling under her breath. Nabiki had to be teasing her, there was no way that buxom red-head was really a guy as she thought in disbelief, '_Ranma is one hell of a cross dresser if what Nabiki says is true_._ It's really difficult for a male to fake a soprano voice and those breasts were so perfect feeling as well as those soft lips…_'

"No, it's true", Nabiki said calmly. "He's my little sister's fiancé but he has a Chinese curse that turns him into a girl when splashed with cold water. Hot water changes him back to male."

"Nabiki", Sakura sighed heavily and then continued as she laughed softly, "What on Earth are you smoking over there that you believe in curses? Whatever it is I might have to arrest you for it."

The middle Tendo chuckled and shook her head. She knew all too well how what she was telling her friend sounded and probably would have had the same reaction had she not seen Ranma transform so often herself. "I'm serious Sa-chan, If you come over when Ranma comes back, I'll prove it to you. We're not sure when he'll be back at the moment, I'll let you know."

"Damn", Sakura said as she sighed heavily, "You are serious aren't you? Fine, I'll have to see this gender confused cross-dressing freak for myself when he gets back."

Nabiki shuddered and knew Ranma wasn't anything like what her friend Sakura had described. She really didn't want to hurt her little sister by giving the ex-pigtailed martial artist yet another suitor to chase after him. The middle Tendo and the other woman talked about other topics for awhile before Nabiki finally hung up, saying she had to get back to class as lunch was over.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kasumi hummed to herself as she walked down the street towards her family's lawyer's office with her trademark smile plastered on her face. The eldest Tendo daughter had no idea if this plan of theirs would work but she was fairly confident the girls and that Amazon mummy wouldn't take the news very well. She walked into the reception area and when asked who she was there to see, Kasumi told the short haired stocky woman that was running the front desk.<p>

The eldest daughter sat down, all prim and proper in her yellow knee length dress without an apron, and waited until the lawyer could see her. A half hour later an elderly man with thin wisps of hair barely covering his scalp walked into the reception area and greeted her.

"Ah, Miss Tendo", the stocky man said in enthusiastic greeting.

"Mr. Fironchi, thank you for seeing me today", Kasumi said as she bowed to the older man.

"Think nothing of it", he replied as he waggled his eyebrows, "Come back to my office and let's discuss why you are here today shall we?"

Kasumi nodded and followed the older man into the corner office in the back. She sat down in one of the comfortable chairs that sat opposite Mr. Fironchi's huge work desk. It was very well made from some expensive wood the eldest Tendo daughter couldn't identify and was at least three meters in width. There was a computer in one corner of it and an assortment of office supplies on the other.

"Can I get you some tea?", the lawyer offered as he held out a cup.

"No thank you", Kasumi replied as Fironchi nodded and sat down at his desk.

After taking a sip he asked, "Now, what can I do for you?"

Kasumi sighed and rubbed her head, trying to stave off her growing headache. She described what the three girls, Ukyo, Kodachi and Shampoo had done and how she wanted to sue all three of them on grounds of destruction of property, general harassment, sexual harassment, and emotional distress. The eldest Tendo daughter explained how they had disrupted the marriage ceremony between her youngest sister and her fiancé as well as their constant attacks over the past year and a half.

Mr. Fironchi frowned as he listened to Kasumi talk and nodded his head. Throwing explosive food without care of hurting innocent people was just criminally reckless and he made sure to add that to the growing list of elements to add in the lawsuit.

"I take it you are going to try to press criminal charges as well?", the lawyer asked with a gleam in his eyes.

"I would like to. These girls are high powered martial artist though, and while that certainly doesn't excuse them by any means, they might be difficult to arrest and detain, especially the Chinese Amazons", Kasumi replied calmly.

"No if anything, they should be held accountable even more than normal people since they can respond with deadly force. Martial arts is supposed to teach discipline if I am not mistaken, yet these silly girls seem to have none of that. I would say it's a failing of their Sensei's but the fault really lays with them. They are old enough to know better and I intend to treat them as adults, not the temper tantrum throwing nine year olds they seem to be behaving as", Mr. Fironchi replied in a tone that meant business.

The older man scratched him chin and said, "Tell you what, why don't I set up a meeting with the Nerima PD and the three of us can discuss what we can do about them?"

"That would be fine", Kasumi said as she stood up, "If it's alright I would like to bring another with me. Her name is Nodoka Saotome and she is Ranma's mother. She'll want to sue the girls and press criminal charges as well."

"Even better", Mr. Fironchi said as he rubbed his hands in glee while a certain glint appeared in his aging blue eyes.

The two bowed to one another and the aging lawyer escorted Kasumi back to the reception area where he bid her a good day before walking back to his office. He closed the door and sat down at his desk and absently drummed his hand on the desk for a few moments before settling back and reaching for the phone on the desk. A smile crossed his face as he dialed, this was going to be fun.

* * *

><p>The final bell rang and Akane nearly sprinted out of the school grounds wanting to get away as quickly as possible. Ever since their loony principal had made the announcement about the dance she had been hounded by boys seeking to be her date for the event. Apparently being still engaged to Ranma didn't deter them from annoying her and she had nearly lost her temper and punched them out more than a couple times. She was able to restrain herself though and used it as practice for her Soul of Ice technique. Perhaps they bothered her so much because she responded, maybe if she ignored them like the Hentai Horde and Kuno earlier they would leave her alone. It was worth a shot and since Ranma wasn't there to punch them for her, no one was sent to the nurse's office that day.<p>

Yuka and Sayrui sprinted in order to catch up to their shorter friend and called out to her. Akane turned around and stopped so they could catch up to her. The two brown haired girls noticed the hardly disguised look of disgust on their friend's face and suggested the three of them head towards the ice cream shop as they had discussed in homeroom earlier.

"Ugh! Boys!", Akane growled in disgust as they walked along towards the parlor so she could tell her two best friends about what happened with her girlfriend and why Ranma left. She was really looking forward to something with a lot of chocolate in it.

Sayuri giggled and said, "Face it Akane, you are the most popular girl in school, second only to Ranma's girl form who doesn't show up nearly as often as those perverts would like."

"I never wanted to be popular like that in the first place. I'd just assume be left alone honestly", Akane pouted as her friends put a hand on each of her shoulders. The raven haired girl felt the comfort of her friends and smiled, suddenly in a much better mood.

"Come on girl friend", Yuka said teasingly, "Let's go and get you some chocolate."

* * *

><p>The three girls were seated in a booth and had ordered their sundaes. While waiting for them to show up, Akane decided to tell her two best friends about Monday at the Meiji Shrine. She edited out the fact that she had kissed Ranma in his girl form and let them assume she meant he was a guy at the time as she had with her sisters. They squealed in happiness and pressed her for details on how the kiss felt, tasted and if they did anything else.<p>

"We just shared a kiss, that's it", Akane replied finally, annoyed that her friends would believe they would do anything more than that on their first date. The raven haired girl then looked thoughtful when she realized that they had actually gone out on a date after all. Okay, so it wasn't to the movies or to a fancy restaurant or anything but it was definitely quality time they had spent alone together.

'_Well_', Akane thought to herself, '_I suppose that's not true considering that I grabbed her hand and placed it on my breast that one time. I felt her breasts last night while we were making out and that felt nice. Hopefully she won't mind me doing that again this weekend. Akane focus! They don't need to know what you have and haven't done together and they certainly don't need to know that everything you have done with Ranma was while she was a girl._'

The youngest Tendo's mind conveniently blocked out all of her memories of kissing Ranma's male form. Akane really didn't want to think about any males at the moment given her anger at Ryoga and Ranma for the whole P-chan thing. As if that wasn't bad enough there were all the perverts at school because of the principal's Valentine's Day Dance announcement. She was just tired of guys in general and for the moment she wanted a break from every single one of them.

"Aw, you're no fun", Sayuri said teasingly as she took a bite of her strawberry parfait.

"Isn't it enough we confessed our love for one another and shared a magical kiss just two days ago?", Akane asked, and dipped her spoon into her double chocolate fudge brownie sundae. It was her 'Ranma Special' according to her friends when she had ordered the same thing on Sunday.

"What happened that he left last night? It seems really strange for him to leave after that", Yuka said and Sayuri nodded her head in agreement.

"P-chan happened", Akane said slowly as she frowned.

"Your pet pig?", Sayuri asked, raising an eyebrow, wondering how the little animal could mess things up between the couple so badly.

"Yeah", the youngest Tendo said as her anger began to grow inside of her again and her aura began to shimmer into existence. "Turns out he's a Jusenkyo curse victim named Ryoga Hibiki. If he knows what's good for him, he will never come around here again. If he does I might have to make pork buns out of him for dinner that evening."

Yuka and Sayuri gasped in surprise and their eyes widened to the size of dinner plates as they took in that bit of information. P-chan had wandered into the girl's locker room at times and watched them change. They had talked about various things in front of him they would never have talked about in front of a boy. The two brown haired girls felt utterly betrayed by the lost pervert and couldn't even begin to imagine how their best friend felt.

"What does this have to with Ranma though?", Yuka asked.

"He knew", Akane said darkly as she clenched her fists on top of the table, "from the beginning."

"No way!", Sayuri and Yuka screeched, much to everyone else's discomfort. The other patrons looked at the group of girls in irritation before turning back to their own business.

"I take it you broke up with him and sent him flying to the moon then?", Sayuri said heatedly.

"No", the raven haired girl said softly as she looked down at her lap, "He left of his own accord last night in order to give me some time and space so we wouldn't fight constantly for awhile."

"How could you possibly stay with him after that betrayal though? How could Ranma let that pervert do all of those things he did to all of us, let alone you?", Sayuri growled angrily as she clenched her fist.

"I love him", Akane said as she mentally corrected herself and thought, '_her, I love her_'. A tear rolled down her cheek and she looked up at her friends as her brown eyes shimmered with more unshed tears. "I can't just forget that and we've been through so much together…"

"Doesn't matter!", Yuka snarled and clenched her fist as well. "The next time we see Ranma or that bastard Ryoga we're going to pound the stuffing out of him."

"You can pound on pig boy all you want, I wont object to that", the raven haired girl said as she shook her head. "I don't want you to pound Ranma though. Let me tell you the whole thing and hopefully by the end you'll understand."

"This had better be good…", Sayuri said heatedly and Yuka nodded in agreement.

Akane spent the next fifteen minutes or so telling her two best friends about Ranma and Ryoga's history together. She then informed them of how her fiancé felt he was responsible for the lost boy's curse and made a mental warrior's promise not to reveal his secret. The youngest Tendo went on to describe how Ranma had actually gone back on that and tried to tell her the pig was a cursed boy that first night but she would never listen and never believed him. Akane highlighted her own contributions to the whole mess and how it was more her fault in a way than Ranma's and had decided to forgive him. She described how they had decided he should leave for a few days anyway to give everyone the illusion that she was still upset with him and asked her two friends to keep that under wraps.

"Friday after school I am going to go to the camp site that we had agreed upon and 'find' him", Akane said calmly as she clasped her hands in front of her on the table. "We'll train this weekend just as I said on Sunday and things should be somewhat back to normal. Ranma will come back to school on Monday."

Yuka and Sayuri were quiet for awhile, digesting everything the two of them had learned. They were far from happy but they nodded their acceptance and promised not to hurt Ranma over it. The girls decided that if Akane could forgive him, they could as well at least until the next time he did something stupid.

* * *

><p>Akane said good bye to her two friends and started walking towards her house. About halfway there she decided that she didn't want to put up with the meddlesome fathers whining about the schools never being joined because Ranma had run off. She didn't want to deal with questions from her older sisters either in regards to the same topic. The raven haired girl missed her girlfriend terribly and was really glad for the respite Yuka and Sayuri were able to provide by keeping her company for awhile.<p>

The youngest Tendo sat on a bench, resting her chin in the palms of her hands, her elbows on her knees. She stared into the fountain in front of her as she pondered her recent thoughts. Shortly after the failed wedding on Saturday, Akane had begun thinking of Ranma as a girl that sometimes turned into a boy rather than the reality. She had referred to Ranma as a girl when she was talking to her friends on Sunday during their ice cream social and was curious as to why. When they were at the Meiji Shrine on Monday she realized she liked his female side more than his male side even though they were both Ranma. She reflected again on how she felt about kissing both of her fiancé's forms and once again, the female side won hands down.

Akane wondered, not for the first time, if she might actually be a lesbian. She didn't recall ever feeling attracted to any of the other girls though, just Ranma's girl form. Perhaps the red-head was her soul mate and that was why, regardless of gender, she had fallen for her and why she was so comfortable with the girl.

The raven haired girl knew deep inside that male Ranma never would have had a chance if he didn't show up as a girl that first day. It was the red-head that had melted her heart and she later had felt betrayed because the girl was an illusion and her new friend was really a guy. She considered how little she had really wanted to associate with guys at all, even before Kuno and the Hentai Horde had essentially ruined her sophomore and junior years of high school. As if that wasn't bad enough, there was the forced engagement and the subsequent chaos that seemed to follow Ranma around like an additional curse.

"Akane Tendo", a male voice said from somewhere nearby. Akane nearly fell off the park bench as she jumped in fright from being startled so badly. She opened her eyes slowly and saw that it was Mousse who had scared her.

"Mousse", Akane gasped out as she placed a hand over her heart, feeling it thunder in her chest like a jackhammer. "You startled me."

"My apologies", the male Amazon said as he bowed slightly. "I went to your home in order to find you and Kasumi informed me of where you might be since you had yet to return home."

Akane raised her eyebrow in puzzlement, wondering why the near blind weapons master wanted to find her and asked, "Why did you want to find me?"

"I have the recipe for the hair formula you requested as well some cautionary advice. I was unable to make it without the old mummy finding out, however the ingredients are fairly easy to come by so you should have no problems gathering them yourself", Mousse replied as he handed Akane a slip of paper from somewhere in his robes.

"Thank you Mousse", Akane replied with a sunny smile on her face as she continued softy, "I had actually forgotten that I had asked you for this."

"Really? Was it not just a few days ago when we discussed this?", Mousse said, amusement clearly in his voice. He idly wondered what could have happened in the last couple of days that would cause the youngest Tendo to completely forget about her wishing her hair was longer. Whatever it was it probably had to do with Ranma and for the better, perhaps the two of them had grown closer. He smiled as he was happy for them and wished them the best.

"Yes", Akane replied sheepishly. The youngest Tendo didn't really want to tell Mousse anything about her blossoming relationship with Ranma though simply because Shampoo and Cologne would be able to get it out of him too easily. She really didn't want her secret romance to become public knowledge especially since it was non-traditional in every sense of the word. The raven haired girl wondered idly if her father would disown her and if Ranma's mother would force her daughter to commit seppuku if they were discovered as lovers. Akane probably didn't really have to worry about that happening so long as Ranma's male side remained intact though. If she ever became locked again or if the male side were ever destroyed however…

"I must got now though", Mousse said, bringing the girl in front of him out of her thoughts, as he patted a delivery box at his side. "Remember to read all of the instructions before you do anything. I am not sure what will happen if you do not."

"Thank you Mousse", Akane said happily as she flashed him with one of her patented sunny smiles.

The male Amazon smiled back, feeling a tug at his heart not because he loved Akane, but because a female had finally shown him some measure of respect and friendship. Cologne and Shampoo treated him like dirt and with contempt. He had quickly grown tired of it since he was no longer in love or even infatuated with lavender haired psychopath anymore. He needed time though, time to plan so that he could break away without getting deported. Perhaps Nabiki would be able to help him with that, for a price of course.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Ryoga walked along the dusty road wondering how he would get to China since he seemed to be heading away from the coast and towards the mountains that made up the spine of Japan. He clenched his fists as he walked along, still seething from the night before when Kasumi had tossed him out of the gates to the Tendo estate. How did the Tendo sisters find out about his curse after all this time unless Ranma had told them. The lost boy spit onto the ground, trying to get the bad taste of his long time rival out of his mouth.<p>

"Damn you Ranma!", the Hibiki boy shouted to the heavens, "Thanks to you Akane hates me and it's all your fault!"

"Ryoga?", a hesitant voice said from somewhere nearby.

The fang toothed martial artist looked around frantically and saw nothing that would be able to speak. His gaze fell upon four legs and he looked up, and up. Finally, his eyes took in the monstrous form of Katsunishiki and above him, Akari Unryu and he felt his heart stop for a second.

The brown haired young woman looked down at him with sadness in her blue eyes as she regarded her ex-boyfriend carefully. Akari had no reason to believe that Kasumi would lie to her but at the same time she really didn't want to believe what she had been told was true. The young brown haired woman had felt sick all afternoon since learning how her boyfriend had misused his curse to molest her friend Akane. She had vomited many times and wondered when she would see Ryoga again so she could break up with him.

"Katsunishiki", Akari said in a steely tone, "Sit on pig boy."

The giant sumo pig did as he was told and charged Ryoga who was too stunned to comprehend what was going on, let alone defend against the large animal in front of him. Half a second later he found himself laying face down in the dirt with a very heavy weight on his back as Kastunishiki sat on him.

"Can't… breath…", Ryoga wheezed out before asking, "Why?"

"I'm going to tell you a story Ryoga", Akari replied, no warmth or love in her cold tone as she hopped off her giant pig and knelt down by his side. "The story goes something like this. Once upon a time, there was this sweet, but relatively clueless girl that really loved pigs. Her grandfather decreed that she could only marry someone who could defeat Katsunishiki in combat. Now, the girl really loved her grandfather and wanted to respect his wishes so she set out to find a man who could defeat her champion pig. Many tried and many failed until one certain _boy_ came along. What the girl should have done was look for a man who would love her for who she was and not some two-timing scumbag. I expected better from you pig boy than for you to use your cursed form to sleep with someone else's fiancée."

Ryoga's face drained of color, despite it turning somewhat blue due to the trouble he was having breathing properly. The lost boy had a feeling he knew what was next and tried to speak, "I'm…"

"No you aren't", Akari interrupted harshly as she stood up and kicked some road dust into his face making him cough. "I loved you Ryoga. I really did but that's all over with now. _You_ betrayed me. _You_ defiled Akane and _you_ have destroyed our trust in you."

Akari glared at her ex-boyfriend and said calmly, "Before I realized why you hated pigs so much I tried to give them up for you. I'm really glad I changed my mind now. I love pigs and I always will but I will never love you again, pig boy. You aren't worth changing myself over and despite what my grandfather wishes, the next man I fall in love with won't have to defeat Kastunishiki first. I will marry for true love, something you are incapable of even grasping, let alone offering to another. You know your curse is perfect, you really are a perverted pig and I mean that in a bad way. I pity the next girl that shows any interest in you for you are totally undeserving of love, pervert."

"…", Ryoga sighed, there was nothing he could say that would dig himself out of the hole that he had dug for himself.

"Good bye Ryoga", Akari said icily as she walked away. "I hate you and never want to see you again. If I were you I would hurry up and get lost, you seem to have a knack for that. I won't be as forgiving the next time I see you pork breath. Kastsunishiki, let's go home."

Ryoga felt the huge weight on his back lift itself off and he climbed to his feet and breathed in deeply, relishing the air he could effortlessly get into his lungs. It was then that he felt a huge crushing weight on his chest but this had nothing to do with pigs this time. He watched as the girl he thought he loved walk away from him and bowed his head in shame.

Before Jusendo, Ryoga was acting like Kuno in that he had a picture of both of his loves and was trying to decide between them. He strung Akari along as his primary interest was Akane. He had decided to try to let go of the raven haired girl only to fail miserably and plotted revenge against Ranma so he could steal Akane for himself. The lost boy wanted to keep Akari around though just in case he couldn't get his true love to like him so he would have someone he could fall back on. Now, both of his loves hated him and wanted nothing more to do with him.

The fang toothed martial artist trudged along, not particularly caring where he wound up as his depression and anger squeezed his chest in its death grip. If he had accepted Akari's love of pigs as a good thing, including his curse he really could have been happy with her he thought. Instead he was so hell-bent on breaking Ranma and Akane up he didn't realize what he truly had until it had turned to dust.

He narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists as he snarled, "Ranma, this is all your fault! If you had just taken your beating like a man, none of this would have happened!"

"Well well", an ancient and raspy female voice said from somewhere nearby. "Always blaming others instead of yourself pig boy?"

"Who's there?", Ryoga snarled as he unsheathed his battle umbrella and looked around, only to find no one there. As he looked around for the voice he noticed he was no longer on the dusty road that ran between the farms on the outskirts of Tokyo. He was standing in the middle of a forest.

"Where the hell am I now?", the lost boy screamed. He heard the raspy voice chuckle again as it faded in the woodwork. Ryoga set off in order to follow the sound.

* * *

><p>"I'm home", Akane said happily as she walked into the entry way and put away her shoes.<p>

"Welcome home Akane", Kasumi said, coming out of the kitchen. "Did Mousse find you?"

"Yes he did, thank you", the raven haired girl replied as she followed Kasumi back into the kitchen and handed the recipe to her older sister. "Will you help me make this?"

"Oh my!", Kasumi said as she looked at the list of ingredients and read the instructions. "We have most of these in the pantry already except for this, this and this. I'll pick them up from the market tomorrow while I am out. What is this recipe for?"

"It's a Chinese hair formula", Akane said excitedly as she jumped up and down like a little kid, "I want to grow my hair out again but I don't want to have to wait six months."

"Why the sudden change? You've worn your hair short for the last year and a half", her eldest sister said, curious as to what triggered the desire for change and wondered if it had to do with a certain gender bender.

"This has nothing to do with Ranma if that's what you are thinking", the raven haired girl replied. "In fact he said he liked it short right after it was cut by pig boy. I don't know if he meant it or not but it also doesn't matter. I am doing this for me and me alone. I miss my longer hair and I want it back."

"Speaking of Ranma", Kasumi said carefully as she watched her sister's eyes narrow in irritation, "Are you two going to be okay? It seems like such a shame for you two have so recently professed your love to one another only for you to break up so easily."

"I don't want to talk about him right now", Akane replied slightly heatedly as she clenched her fists and turned around to hide her true reaction of sorrow at missing her girlfriend.

"Alright Akane", the elder Tendo said softly as she placed a hand on the shorter girl's shoulder, "I'll pick up the extra ingredients while you are at school tomorrow and you can make it when you come back."

"W-What?", Akane stammered as she turned around in shock. She shook her head back and forth and put her hands up in a warding gesture. "I can't make it Kasumi. I'll just mess it up. Will you please make it for me?"

"I can't little sister", Kasumi said sadly as she frowned. She took the slip of paper back out and handed it to the shorter girl. "Read the whole thing and you'll see why. Now, just because you have to make it doesn't mean I can't help you with it. I will assist where I can, but since this is for you, it's up to you to make it."

Akane read through the list of the ingredients and the instructions and figured out why she was the one that had to make it. The formula required the DNA of the person it was meant for and that was achieved through prolonged contact with each ingredient. If Kasumi or anyone else handled the herbs and spices the formula would incorporate their DNA. Due to the different hair colors of her family and other people, mixing the colors and type of hair could make her look like a circus freak. She laughed inwardly when she thought about the possible result if Ranma helped while a girl. They would wind up with blackish hair with blue highlights with red streaks running through it and would look absolutely ridiculous.

* * *

><p>A little while later the joint families were gathered around the dinner table. Akane looked around while she ate and took stock of everyone's apparent emotional state. Her father and Mr. Saotome were somewhat morose, no doubt subdued slightly because the male half of their scheme was once again missing. She looked over at her older sister, Nabiki, and found an unreadable face gazing back at her with a similar look. The youngest Tendo then turned her attention towards her oldest sister and noted that she was happily discussing the weekend meal planning with Ranma's mother. Akane listened closer and it sounded as though Kasumi was planning on being absent for the weekend.<p>

'_Damn it_', Akane thought to herself as she frowned slightly, '_She must know about the letter and is probably going to insist on coming with me when I leave to "find" Ranma on Friday. Oh well, hopefully she hasn't told anyone else but she'll probably want to talk to me about it tonight._'

"Akane", Soun said hesitantly with a hint of determination underneath, "You are going to make up with Ranma aren't you?"

Immediately everyone else's conversations stopped and everyone held their breath as they waited on pins and needles for the youngest Tendo's response. Akane looked around at everyone and took in their reactions and inwardly grinned. For the first time since the whole arrangement had been forced on her nearly two years ago she was in control. Her father wasn't trying to tell her to get back together with Ranma, he was practically begging her to. Of course she wanted to get back together with her girlfriend but there was no reason for any of them to know that. She could make them sweat a little and maybe get some concessions out of them.

Akane shrugged and picked up her chopsticks again before replying, "Maybe, maybe not."

"What?", Genma replied and said heatedly, "You have to. It's for the good of the schools."

"Saotome…", Soun started in an irritated voice. Telling Akane she had to do something was a sure fire way for her not to do it. Ever since Ranma had shown up they have been tying to force the two of them together and he knew how well that had worked out.

"Husband…", Nodoaka interrupted, steel lining her voice.

"I _have_ to?", Akane interrupted and yelled incredulously as she turned on the balding older man with fury in her eyes. "I _HAVE_ to?"

Nodoka stood up and grabbed her husband by the ear and dragged him away from the table as she said, "Come along husband. You and I are going to have a little chat."

"Um, Akane", Soun said cautiously, noting the anger in his youngest daughter's eyes and body language, "Will you please at least consider getting back together with Ranma?"

Akane glared at her father and the man turned into a blubbering mess as he wailed, "My daughter hates me!"

"Oh Father", Kasumi said gently as she walked over to him and put a hand on his shoulder. "Akane doesn't hate you. Certainly you can see that now is not a good time to bring up He Who Shall Not Be Named alright?"

Nabiki sat back and watched the whole scene in amusement and thought, '_As much trouble as they've caused over the years, the Saotomes have definitely been useful for their entertainment value around here at least. I wonder where Ranma ran off to though._'

"Thank you for dinner Kasumi", Akane said as she stood up from the table and headed up the stairs, her good mood from earlier shattered.

* * *

><p>Akane growled in frustration as she walked into her room before closing and locking the door. Why can't people leave her alone about her fiancé? It's always Ranma this and Ranma that… Would she even matter if Ranma had never come? The youngest Tendo walked over to her desk and sat down, burying her head in her arms as she struggled to control her raging emotions. She opened up the top drawer of her desk and re-read Ranma's letter to her, just to give her something to look forward to in a couple days. She read the translation of the 'wrong' characters and smiled, just as she heard a knock at her door. Sighing, Akane put the letter away and walked over to her door and unlocked it before returning to her desk and called out, "Come in."<p>

Kasumi entered the room and closed the door and stood there for a moment before turning back and facing her younger sister. She walked over and sat on Akane's bed and looked at her sister's face and said, "How are you feeling Akane?"

"What do you mean?", the raven haired girl asked, not really sure how to answer the question at the moment.

"Well", Kasumi replied and took her sister's hands in her own, "You seemed pretty upset at dinner about you know who despite your calm demeanor earlier when we were talking in the kitchen."

"You know how much I hated being forced into this engagement from the beginning", Akane said as she withdrew her hands from her sister's loose grip and leaned back in her chair.

Kasumi nodded as the raven haired girl continued and said, "Dad was asking me if I wanted Ranma back, actually asking me rather than telling me. That made me happy, thinking I might have a choice in my life for once. Then the panda decided to ruin everything by demanding I take his son back. How dare he try to tell me what to do. All he does is lounge around leeching off of our family and he spouts off like his opinion means anything!"

"I understand", Kasumi said calmly and bit her lip, pondering whether to bring up the other important thing she wanted to talk to her little sister about.

"Is that all Kasumi?", Akane asked gently, "I have homework I need to get working on if there isn't anything else you want to talk to me about."

"There is one other thing Akane", Kasumi said hesitantly, "but I am not sure I should talk to you about it today. Maybe I should wait till Friday after school."

"What's so important to wait until then that you can't talk to me about now?", Akane asked, knowing full well what her sister was referring to. She didn't want to make the first move on that conversation though since she wanted to maintain her anti-Ranma illusion a little longer. The youngest Tendo also wanted her sister's help in brewing the formula the following day.

"Oh, I think you know little sister", Kasumi said with a teasing smile as she stood up in order to leave the room. "I'll let you get back to your homework and talk to you later alright?"

"Fine", Akane replied as she sighed softly and turned around in order to start working on her trig functions. The raven haired girl didn't particularly care for math but it was important to do well just the same since she wanted to go to university. She wondered idly if she could convince Ranma to buckle down and study so that she could get into the same university as she did. Akane didn't believe they would break up if she didn't, but it would be fun to go to the same school together again wouldn't it? They were going to stay together weren't they?

'_What if Ranma doesn't want to go to college_', Akane mused to herself as a feeling of dread started to form in the pit of her stomach. '_Would we really break up because of that or am I just being paranoid. I don't want to live without her. _Akane slapped herself gently in the forehead as she continued to think, '_Wait a minute, of course we won't break up, we'll be married by then. Didn't we decide we would probably get married for real some time in our senior year?_'

Feeling a lot better, Akane opened her book again and started working on her homework with a little more 'enthusiasm' than before, determined not to have any left to do over the weekend.

* * *

><p>Thursday morning arrived unceremoniously and Akane groaned as she opened her eyes slowly. She swatted at her alarm clock that was squawking at her off to her right and smiled when the thing flew across the room. She must have hit it correctly that time though as it stopped making noise when it hit the wall. She changed into a suitable jogging outfit and left the Tendo compound in order to get started on her day.<p>

Her jog was uneventful as she continued to train on the twenty centimeter wide walls she had worked on the previous morning. She pushed herself a little more by increasing her speed which increased its difficulty significantly enough so that she felt challenged enough without risking injury to herself. She wanted to be able to train that weekend with her girlfriend and it just wouldn't do to get injured beforehand.

Breakfast was the same as it had been the day before with Mr. Saotome wailing about how worthless and cowardly his son was for leaving. Her father went on and on about how the schools would never be joined unless the two of them made up and asked her again if she would consider getting back together with the youngest Saotome. Irritated at the father's antics, Akane left the table in a huff and took a bath before heading off to school.

The walk to school was uneventful this time as there was no trace of Shampoo which the youngest Tendo was grateful for. She stopped outside the gates and groaned as the idiot male population of Furinkan was there. Her eyes widened when she noticed it wasn't just the usual group that composed of the Hentai Horde but others as well. Growling in frustration she charged forward intent on dodging through a hail of fists and weapons just like the day before but was surprised when they didn't attack her. Instead they were clamoring about all asking her to the dance. That was when something interesting happened. The boys started arguing with one another about who should be able to ask her to the dance and she slipped out quietly while they fought amongst themselves.

Yuka and Sayuri walked up to her as she watched the Hentai Horde and the extras beat each other up and Akane quipped, "Boys really are stupid aren't they?"

Her friends nodded and the three girls walked up to their homeroom class as if nothing was going on down in the courtyard. Meanwhile Nabiki watched the horde decimate itself and grinned. She had noticed Akane slipping from the mob and smiled, glad to see her little sister was giving the pathetic perverts the attention they deserved, which was none.

Her morning classes were the same as always except for the mountain of notes she kept receiving and ignored. Akane didn't even bother to read any of them as they were all the same and she had no interest in going to the dance with any of them. The only one she wanted to go with was Ranma. If she couldn't go with him she wouldn't go period. Honestly she would rather go with her girlfriend but that would invite questions she didn't want to answer and rumors she didn't want to hear spread.

Lunch was just as bad as before school was, with guys all begging her to go to the dance with them. Her Soul of Ice finally shattered and all of her bottled anger and rage surged violently through her. Akane stood up and her battle aura exploded around her, wreathing her body in the dark red fire she had had when she yelled at Ryoga. She closed her eyes for a second and channeled her Ki into her hands imagining a katana in them. The weapon appeared in her hands wreathed in the same dark red fire that bathed her body and the raven haired girl took a menacing step forward.

Akane glared at the assembly of boys and screamed, "I am not going to go to the dance with any of you! Now shut up, leave me the hell alone and get out of my sight before I kill you!"

The boys fell back in surprise and fear at the display of power and attempted to disperse rather chaotically. They could feel the energy crackling in the air and the static electricity made Akane's hair stand straight up. Between the fire that surrounded her body, the energy in the air and the sheer fury in her eyes, she looked more demonic than human. If that wasn't enough, the fact that she had conjured a flaming sword out of thin air was enough to make the cowardly perverts in front of her soil their underwear rather spectacularly.

Kuno watched the display and his mind shut down unbelieving what he was seeing. His fierce tigress was fierce indeed, but she was no longer the perfect flower he had always built her up to be in his mind. She was a demoness that had been possessed and corrupted by the foul sorcerer Saotome. The delusional kendoist vowed the next time he saw the wretched snake he would make him pay for corrupting the beautiful rose Akane Tendo had once been.

Yuka and Sayuri stared at their friend in a mixture of fear, awe and confusion as they slowly backed away from their emotional friend. Even though they knew they had nothing to worry about personally, it was still truly a frightening thing to witness. They prayed they would never see a display like that ever again and definitely never wanted to be on the receiving end of it.

After all of the boys scurried away like the rats they were, Akane dismissed her Ki-katana and sat down on the grass feeling emotionally and physically drained. It took a few minutes of her body shaking in exertion for her to calm herself down. The raven haired girl wasn't used to expending her Ki in such ways and usually only powered a slight blue aura and her strength. This time she had tapped deeper into her emotional reserves and had actually conjured a weapon out of Ki. She was excited at the expansion of her abilities but at the same time she didn't want to have to use anger or hate to trigger them. That was the reason she started using the Soul of Ice to begin with as she wanted to be in control of her emotions and not let them consume her like they had in the past. Apparently it wasn't a foolproof method though. Every single time she had used it lately she actually exploded even more violently than she in the past.

'_I'll have to ask Ranma about that. She knows about Ki and would be willing to help me, unlike the old ghoul_', Akane mused to herself as she noticed her two best friends slowly walking towards her with fear in their eyes. The youngest Tendo bowed her head slightly and said in a friendly and gentle manner, "I'm alright now girls. I'm still sane I promise."

"Uh, what happened?", Yuka asked hesitantly as if she was afraid her friend would explode any second again.

"I blew my top", Akane quipped and she giggled. Yuka and Sayuri laughed nervously but then noticed how relaxed their friend was again and decided that things were alright. The rest of lunch was rather uneventful much to their delight. The bell rang and the three girls went back inside, wondering what the rest of the day would bring considering the remaining classes were Home Economics and Gym.

* * *

><p>"I'm home", Akane called cheerfully as she walked in through the front door. She was practically bouncing up and down in her excitement.<p>

"Welcome home", Kasumi said with a smile on her face as the two Tendo sisters walked back into the kitchen. "I picked up everything you're going to need for your little science experiment."

"Okay, I'll be right back", the raven haired girl said as she ran upstairs in order to change. There was no sense in ruining her school uniform if something happened. She changed into a drab pair of sweatpants and an older t-shirt before coming back down to the kitchen.

"Alright Akane", Kasumi said gently as she handed her the recipe, "Here is your list of ingredients and instructions. You're going to need to get everything out that you'll need beforehand and pay careful attention to what you add and when."

"It's just like cooking", the raven haired girl said as she put on a blue apron with white ducks on them, "Ranma said something to me the other day when we were walking home from school that really made a lot of sense. All this time I thought you and Auntie were throwing random things in because you never seem to measure anything or look at a cook book. He said that you had long ago memorized what you needed and that nothing you were doing was random at all."

"He's right, wait, does this mean you have cooked something that has turned out alright?", Kasumi asked excitedly but then looked apologetic when she realized what she had said.

"Remember those brownies we brought home on Tuesday?", Akane asked with a brilliant smile on her face, deciding that Kasumi's comment was justified due from her efforts in the past.

"Yes, you told us that you picked them up from the bakery on the way home, but you didn't did you. You made those at school but you didn't want us to run away and hide without trying them first", the eldest Tendo daughter said as she nodded her head in understanding.

Akane nodded as she bowed her head, "I'm sorry for lying to you Kasumi, but I really wanted everyone to actually try them and I didn't think anyone would. Yuka, Sayuri and Ranma all said they were good but even with their support I wasn't sure you would try them."

"It's alright little sister", Kasumi said gently, "I understand why you did. Now then, let's make your hair formula so I can have my kitchen back in time to make dinner okay?"

The raven haired girl nodded and read through the list of ingredients. Since she didn't know where anything was she asked her sister and Kasumi gladly showed her where they were kept. Not that the eldest daughter thought Akane would remember, but it was still good practice. The younger girl needed to handle all of the ingredients herself anyway because of the whole DNA infusion thing the recipe required. A few minutes later the counter was covered with various herbs and spices.

Akane sighed when she read the first line of the instructions. They said to boil some water which she could have started before gathering the ingredients and saved a little time. Kasumi giggled slightly and Akane shot her a glare. She shrugged and continued to laugh quietly covering her mouth with a hand.

"This is a learning experience Akane", Kasumi replied, "Try to relax and enjoy yourself, but be careful. You're a beginner after all. Make sure you take the time you need in order to make sure that you do it right."

As the instructions stated, Akane added one ingredient at a time after rubbing the herbs between her hands for a minute. The purpose of that was to allow the outmost layer of her skin to rub into the ingredients and infuse her genetic material into them. After about twenty minutes, everything was in the cook pot with the exception of the final ingredient, a few drops of her blood. The raven haired girl pulled a knife from out of the drawer and pricked her left fore finger over the concoction and watched as the red liquid dripped into the pot. The formula exploded slightly when the blood hit the surface of the water causing Akane and Kasumi to leap backwards in surprise and fright.*

"Uh", Akane stuttered hesitantly, "Was it supposed to explode like that?"

"I don't know", Kasumi replied uncertainly, "There is nothing in the instructions about it exploding. It looks alright though, maybe it was supposed to do that?"

"Maybe", the raven haired girl replied slowly as she shrugged. "Well, according to this we have to let it sit uncontaminated for at least twelve hours and then apply it to my scalp."

"Remember Akane", the elder Tendo said, "You can't let your head get wet by showering, bathing or sweating as the water will make it run out and encourage hair to grow elsewhere, like your face and back. Perhaps you should stay home from school tomorrow. It would be easier than trying to excuse you from gym class."

Akane blanched at the thought of having a hairy face and nodded her head affirmatively. The youngest Tendo looked at the clock and it said 4:30pm and said, "Alright. I can use the time to catch up on the homework I missed while I was in China. Will you help me apply the formula? I can't be sure I'll hit every area and it should be alright if you use sterilized gloves."

Kasumi nodded and said, "I'll get you up around 5:00am then. Ranma's going to be in for a nice surprise when you see him tomorrow night assuming you decide to go 'find' him and the formula works that quickly."

"You know about the letter then don't you?", Akane replied as she covered up her cooling hair formula and put it in the refrigerator.

"Yes", Kasumi replied, "In fact I think I knew about it before you did. I found it on your desk before you woke up. I shouldn't have read it though seeing as how it was addressed to you. I'm sorry but I had to know. I felt his presence leave and I was worried."

Akane smirked inwardly and thought, '_Not likely considering I was there when she wrote it and you weren't. I wonder if you found the secret message as well._' She turned to her sister and asked quietly, "You didn't tell anyone else did you?"

"No", the older girl replied as she hugged her little sister, "I think the time and space away from each other has been good for both of you. If he had stayed I can only imagine how much you two would have fought with one another and damaged your budding relationship. As it is, you've had a chance to cool down a little and think things through. I am proud of you Akane, you seem to be growing up and you've been doing well in keeping your temper under control for the most part. I am wondering something though, are you willing to give Ranma another chance?"

"Thanks", Akane replied, certain she would have felt insulted and gotten angry a year ago. "I was planning on going to the campsite tomorrow after school so we could talk things out and get passed this whole P-chan thing. Before that bombshell exploded this week we had planned to go away for the weekend on a training trip."

"Oh my!", Kasumi exclaimed, "You two aren't married, you really shouldn't be camping together alone. It just wouldn't be proper."

"I figured you would say something like that", Akane replied with amusement dancing in her brown eyes. "I thought either you would insist on coming with me to chaperon us, he could swear on his honor to remain a girl the entire trip or both."

"Hmm", the elder girl said thoughtfully as she tapped the counter with her fingers, "I don't recall seeing anything in the letter about him remaining female the whole time."

"He has that waterproof soap you wanted to punish him with", Akane grinned wolfishly and Kasumi gasped before hanging her head and sighed.

"I don't know what I was thinking when I asked Cologne for it", Kasumi said as she frowned. "Even if he hated his girl form still which I am not convinced that he does honestly, I wouldn't have wanted to punish you by depriving you of your boyfriend. I'm sorry Akane, I just don't know what came over me."

"It's fine Kasumi", Akane said softly as she hugged her sister again, "He left so I've been without my boyfriend but that's a good thing. I didn't want to be around him for awhile anyway." '_Now her on the other hand, I have missed horribly and I can't wait to see her again_', the youngest Tendo thought to herself.

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><p>Dinner that night started out peaceful enough and everyone was enjoying the great meal that Kasumi and Nodoka had put together. Kasumi and Nodoka were having a pleasant conversation about one thing or another. Nabiki was looking around with a crafty expression in her eyes as though she was waiting for something to happen. Akane was eating her meal slowly fully expecting her father and Mr. Saotome to bother her about Ranma yet again as she found herself missing her girlfriend for the thousandth time that day.<p>

"Akane", Soun said sternly, "Family honor demands that you get back together with Ranma."

"Dad!", Akane yelled as she shot her father a harsh glare that Kasumi and Nabiki added to, "The more you ask, demand, beg or anything else the less likely I am to do it. Quit bothering me about it. If it happens it'll happen because we want it to, not because you or the panda insist on it. Haven't you learned anything since the Saotomes showed up?"

"But Akane…", Soun started.

"No Soun", Nodoka interrupted with a hint of steel in her voice, "She's right. Even if she wasn't a teenager and rebellious by nature, the more you push the more you drive a wedge between what you're trying to push together. Why are you in such a hurry, just leave them alone and let them work it out for themselves."

"Thank you Auntie", Akane said as she smiled at her future mother-in-law.

"I'm afraid your father and my husband do not really understand relationships all that well so it's a good thing I am here to straighten things out once in awhile. Unfortunately I believe Ranma is the same way but he isn't here to defend himself so I shouldn't speak ill of him."

Nabiki and Akane snickered at that while Kasumi covered her mouth and politely giggled while the males fumed in indignation.

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><p>The rest of the evening was uneventful. After having a rather relaxing bath, Akane went upstairs to her room and worked on her homework in an effort to take her mind off her girlfriend. The last day or so had been really tough on her. In an effort to keep from feeling too depressed she tried to keep herself busy.<p>

'_Less than twenty four hours now_', Akane thought to herself as a small smile formed on her lips. All she had to do was wait a little longer and she would be with her girlfriend again hopefully. The raven haired girl realized she might see Ranma's male form again and wasn't quite sure she was ready for that. She knew she definitely wasn't ready to accept him as her boyfriend again yet.

The youngest Tendo hoped Kasumi wouldn't come along but she knew she might as well be asking for the sun to forget to rise or for Kuno to actually be somewhat sane. She deemed it improper, and maybe it was, for the two of them to be alone at the campsite together when they weren't married. There was no guarantee that Ranma would be temporarily locked as a girl so there was really no chance that Kasumi wouldn't come along in order to chaperon. Having her sister around as a third wheel would definitely put a crimp in their romantic activities.

She giggled softly to herself as she thought, '_Maybe Ranma and I should get married sooner than later after all. Our fathers would stop badgering us and Kasumi wouldn't be able to object to impropriety anymore at least as a traditional couple. I'll bet none of them would be particularly happy if they were to learn the true nature of our relationship though._'

Akane didn't want anyone, not her best friends, and definitely not her family, to know that they were romantically involved with each other when they were both girls. She was okay with her sisters knowing they loved each other but wanted them to assume that they only shared those feelings with one another as a traditional couple. Still, she knew it was only a matter of time before someone caught them kissing as girls.

For the meantime though, having a secret relationship with Ranma's girl side was rather intoxicating and exciting for her. Was that why her Ki-kiss only worked when Ranma was a girl? Was the thrill of being caught in a lesbian relationship the driving force? No, it wasn't only that though she was quite certain it contributed a fair amount. She knew from experience that she let herself go and completely opened her heart and soul when she kissed her girlfriend which in turn allowed her passion to explode from within her. When she kissed her girlfriend's male form that one day she had held back quite a bit and never allowed herself to surrender herself completely. Perhaps in time she could. Perhaps not.

The youngest Tendo sobered and her eyes shimmered as she suddenly felt really depressed. Akane sighed as she thought, '_I miss you Ranma._'

'_Soon, my daughter, soon…_'

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><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it. _

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><p><span><em>Akane's current aura color combinations:<em>

_Ki-cocoon: White, Pink, Red - Confidence, Love, Passion_

_Flaming Battle Aura: Dark Red, Black - Anger, Hate_

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><p><em>*This is a tribute to the television show "Charmed". Frequently when the Halliwell Sisters were making vanquishing potions they would add a final ingredient (blood or demon flesh) and the potion would explode signifying it was ready.<em>


	7. Just Who is Ranma Saotome Anyway?

Disclaimer:

Sadly I do not own the amusement park that is Nerima and the colorful characters the kind author Rumiko Takahashi has so graciously created for us.

Without further ado, on with the show. I hope you enjoy it.

#foreign language

*panda signs

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><p>.<p>

_**The Heart of Akane Tendo**_

Chapter Six

_Just Who is Ranma Saotome Anyway? _

.

.

_"Tell you what Akane", Ranma replied with a smile on her face, "Why don't you yell at me when you find me this weekend. I'm sure I'll do something to deserve it. Oh, by the way, make sure you bring a swimsuit with you. I am going to teach your lead filled ass how to swim."_

_"RAAAAAANNNNNMMMMAAAAAA!", Akane yelled as the girl in question grinned and then bolted out of the room in order avoid the raven haired girl's half hearted punch. The youngest Tendo stopped and started laughing. She silently thanked her girlfriend for the chance to yell at her even though she didn't mean anything by it. Akane's face split into a sunny smile as she whispered to herself, "I love you Ranma."_

Ranma fled her girlfriend's room with a silly grin plastered on her face as she ducked into the guestroom. She knew she had to go soon as it seemed inevitable that the rest of the family would have heard the tomboy's mock angry yell. She knew Akane loved her, there was no doubt about that, but given the whole P-chan fiasco she felt it would do their relationship some good if she was gone for a few days. Neither one of them wanted to go back to fighting with one another and perhaps their separation would make their hearts grow fonder.

She looked through her pack one last time in order to make sure she had everything packed when her eyes fell on the water-proof soap Kasumi had gotten from Cologne. Ranma was fairly sure she was going to be alone out in the woods so her form wouldn't matter particularly. Deciding she wanted to be prepared for everything and anything, she packed the special soap as well as a few more items from her girl collection. The red-head sighed heavily before slipping out of her bedroom window and onto the roof.

Ranma flew across the Nerima skyline away from the Tendo estate towards the outskirts of town when she stopped for a moment and smelled herself. Frowning in distaste, she detoured towards a public bathhouse. The red haired girl landed on the roof and shivered briefly and thought how wonderful a hot bath would feel on her cold body. This, of course, was a problem since she was currently female. Ranma couldn't very well enter the men's side in her current form nor could she stay in the women's side once the hot water hit her unless she used the special soap.

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><p>The red haired girl dropped down to the street and walked into the bathhouse. She looked at the pricing board and figured a basic bath is all she really needed at the moment. Ranma wasn't sure what an herbal wrap entailed and the thought of bathing in mud just sounded weird to her. Wasn't the point of taking a bath to get clean? How was bathing in wet dirt going to help? A massage sounded promising but since she wasn't all that sore at the moment she decided to pass on that.<p>

"Welcome to Junkari's miss", the girl behind the cash register said in a friendly manner with a ghost of a smile on her lips. "What kind of service would you like this evening?"

"I would like the basic bath please. How long do I have before closing time?", Ranma asked as she dropped her pack on the floor and began rifling through one of the pouches that contain some money. She pulled out a 500 yen coin and handed it to the other girl as she hefted her pack again.

Keiko took the coin and placed it within the cash register as she regarded her customer with a careful eye. The pack looked really heavy and had to be nearly as big as she was. How on earth did such a petite girl carry such a thing, and so easily too? The girl looked worn as though she was used to hardship. Was she just traveling or was the red-head running away from home with everything she could carry on her back? It wasn't her business, but maybe this girl was in trouble and needed help.

The brown haired cashier looked up at the wall clock and said, "You have just under two hours until closing time." She lowered her voice and said in concern, "If you don't mind me asking though, are you running away from a bad situation at home?"

Ranma looked down at the floor and fidgeted briefly before nodding her head slowly and replied quietly, "Sort of."

After a few moments of silence and it became obvious that the red-head in front of her wasn't going to elaborate, Keiko sighed and informed the smaller girl where the towels were and wished her a pleasant bath. Ranma thanked the girl and walked through the door leading to the women's side and disappeared. The cashier watched the other girl walk away for a few moments and a sadness crept into her green eyes. Keiko had always been something of a busybody and wanted to try to help the other girl but couldn't really do anything if the red-head didn't open up.

'_Silly girl_', Keiko chastised herself as she played with her long chestnut colored hair tied that was tied in a loose pony tail, '_Why would she open up to you? She's never seen you before tonight and has no idea who you are. She seems troubled though. I wonder if I can help..._'

Ranma walked down the hallway that lead to the woman's locker room as she thought about her reaction to the cashier's question. In a way she was running away from a bad situation at home but probably nothing like the other girl was thinking. The red-head was really glad the girl hadn't asked anything after that as she really didn't want to talk about what was bothering her with a stranger. Ranma just wanted to relax in a nice hot bath before she had to deal with finding a place to stay for the night. She would set out for the campsite in the morning when she could actually see where she was going.

'_Hmm_', Ranma thought to herself as she stripped off her clothes and placed them back inside her backpack. _'Why did I have to leave at all? Akane and I were getting along just fine after we talked. If she needed time and space, couldn't we have just pretended to ignore one another after all? No, whether she realized it or not she had to have been mad at me still. If I stayed we might have gotten into a real fight despite what we promised one another Monday at the Meiji Shrine. I kept that promise by talking to her earlier tonight but I don't want to push things. It's only three days and maybe we'll be even stronger come Friday. Oh who am I kidding, Akane my love, I miss you already..._'

The red haired girl put her hand to her lips, trying to imagine her girlfriend's soft lips gently touching hers. It was going to be a long three days. Ranma sighed and pulled out her bathing supplies and looked longingly over at the hot water baths. She could still wash herself with regular soap and be clean without locking herself as a girl if she stayed out of the hot water. Shaking her head, as taking the hot water bath was what had drawn her into the building in the first place. She pulled out the water-proof soap and nodded her head in conviction.

'_It only lasts for a few days right?_', Ranma thought to herself as she looked at the special soap in her hand and weighed taking a bath without problems versus not being able to turn back into a guy for a day or so. '_Actually, now would be the perfect time to remain a girl and experiment for a few days to see how I feel about it. I won't have to worry about Mom and Pop harping on me about that lame man amongst men bullshit because I'm a girl. Mr. Tendo won't be crying a river because he doesn't think the schools will be joined. I can finally just be... myself..._'

Ranma placed her pack in a locker and walked over towards the long row of sinks, stools and mirrors. She sat down on a stool and stared at her naked reflection in the mirror and offered the other girl a small but sad smile. The Saotome heiress undid her ponytail and shook her head gently side to side as she watched as her flaming red hair cascaded down her back and atop her generous breasts. Ranma casually twirled some of her scarlet hair in the fingers of her left hand as she stared into her stormy blue eyes.

The red haired girl sighed heavily as she reached for her reflection with her right hand. Her fingers touched the cool glass and in a voice barely above a whisper, she asked herself, "Who are you?"

The image in the mirror didn't respond of course and just stared right back her. Ranma could feel her eyes begin to shimmer slightly as her heart ached for her girlfriend's soft and loving touch. She filled a tub of cold water and dumped it over her head and then proceeded to lather up a washcloth with the special soap. Ranma scrubbed herself clean, not paying much attention to where she was scrubbing for most of her body. She did, however, slow down and began to take special notice when she washed her breasts. The Saotome heiress started to feel a tingling sensation spread through her body. She fought to suppress her moans as she was not alone in the bathhouse and continued to gently massage her breasts and nipples.

'_Damn, I sure wish Akane was here right now. Actually scratch that, I wish we were somewhere else together_', Ranma thought as she bit down harder in order to keep her moans from escaping her mouth. The tingling sensation started to feel more powerful and changed into an internal fire that she recognized all to well. Earlier that evening she had felt it when the two of them passionately kissed one another and their breasts rubbed against each other. It had felt really nice then and it was even more powerful now because there weren't two bras and blouses in the way to dampen the feelings. She could feel her womanhood heating up and she hadn't even touched it yet. Ranma knew she had to get herself under control or she would really embarrass herself.

'_Kami-sama I am a pervert. This feels really good though. If this is how it feels by myself, how much better will it feel when Akane touches me like this?_', Ranma thought to herself as she stopped rubbing her breasts. She took the washcloth and paid a visit to the tender flesh of her womanhood between her legs and gasped at the touch. The slow burning warmth that was spreading throughout her body suddenly exploded in a firestorm of heat and pleasure as she squeaked in surprise before she could completely clamp her mouth shut. She looked up as she felt the blood rush to her face causing her to blush furiously when she saw the other women in the bath suddenly look over at her in surprise. Ranma just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear at that point but the Earth refused to open up and swallow her.

Ranma finished washing and tried to avoid lingering on her erogenous zones the second time around seeing as how she really didn't want to attract more attention to herself than she already had. The other women had glared at her in disapproval after their initial shock before returning to their conversations. When she was done scrubbing her body, she shampooed her hair and used a very low level _Kachü Tenshin Amaguriken_ in order to massage her scalp with her very quick fingers. She suppressed the urge to moan again and rolled her eyes, was there nothing that turned her on? It seemed as though her entire body could cause her to become aroused in one way or another a little too easily.

'_That should come in handy when Akane and I are alone again but I need to stop now before I go crazy in a public bathhouse_', Ranma thought to herself wryly as she considered more possibilities for things they could do when their relationship expanded beyond hugs and kisses. The red haired girl dumped a bucket of cold water over herself in an effort to shock her perverted thoughts out of her mind. The water did wonders for washing out the shampoo and soap, but it also seemed to dampen her arousal some which was helpful.

The red haired girl walked over towards the hot bath and prayed that she had actually used water-proof soap and not some practical joke. The other women had already given her some harsh glares earlier because she had been pleasuring herself a little too much. If she change back into a guy now she would really be in trouble. Fortunately for her nothing happened when she slid into the water and sighed in contentment. It was nice to be able to take a hot bath as a girl since it was such a rare occurrence thanks to her hot water curse.

'_I think the last time I could do this was when Herb locked me for awhile a few months ago_', Ranma thought as she laid back in the pool of water and closed her eyes. The hot liquid washed over her body and she felt her muscles relax completely.

Ranma began to wonder if she should write a letter to the Musk Prince and ask him for some Nyannīchuan water from the locking ladle. The thought of spending the rest of her life as a girl really didn't terrify her anymore. The love of her life, Akane, had not only completely accepted that side of her but actually preferred it as far as she could tell. Lately she had been feeling a lot more comfortable as a girl and part of her was curious as to why while the other didn't care one bit. Were her feelings in response to her girlfriend's preference or was it something else? Was it possible that the Jusenkyo magic was acting up and was luring her to actually become her curse? Perhaps some part of her that was buried deep inside had always wanted to be a girl that she had been unaware of for so long.

The Saotome heiress looked down at herself in the water and gently cupped her breasts as she giggled softly and thought, '_You used to be Ranma Saotome, man amongst men. Some man you turned out to be but maybe that isn't a bad thing. Perhaps the boy form you've had for most of your life was the illusion and this is who you truly are. Could you really be a girl deep inside after all?_'

Had the seed been planted deep within her before the ten years of hell she had spent with father on the training trip? Ranma knew she hated the whole 'man amongst men' crap her old man had demanded of her at every turn. The panda would mistreat her horribly and then yell at her if she happened to cry or act like any normal six to sixteen year old child. Her overbearing and misogynistic drill instructor of a father had always told her that women were silly, weak and a distraction from the Art. Ranma was more determined than ever to break away from that narrow-minded view as women were hardly weak. Akane for instance, how was she weak with her Ki powered gorilla strength? What about Ukyo, Shampoo and Cologne? There was also the fact that the old fool was afraid of his own non-martial artist wife.

'_Pops doesn't have a clue what he's talking about as usual_', Ranma thought to herself as she flexed her muscles underneath the hot bath water. The red haired girl smirked as another though crossed her mind, '_Maybe it's time to start driving the old man crazy as he did me for too long. I think I'll stay a girl for awhile and start beating him up in the morning spars again. Maybe then he'll rescind this foolish notion that women are weak and worthless. I also need to find some other interests like Nabiki suggested. I am too one dimensional, thanks Pop, and while the Art is important to me it isn't the only thing worth doing._'

A little while later, Ranma awoke to someone gently shaking her shoulders. She looked up into the green eyes of the cashier she had talked to earlier. Keiko inform her that it was getting to be closing time and that she needed to be leaving soon. The red haired girl looked around and noticed she was the only customer remaining in the baths and nodded her head weakly as she rose out of the warm water on wobbly legs.

"Here, let me help you. You've been in there for quite awhile", Keiko said gently as she took the red-head's hand into her own and wrapped the other girl in a towel. The chestnut haired girl wrapped an arm around Ranma's waist in order to stabilize her. The Saotome heiress thanked the girl as she smiled slightly despite feeling a little uncomfortable with the contact. Once again someone other than her girlfriend was touching her in perhaps a slightly inappropriate manner as Nabiki had done earlier in the evening. Her knees were too weak to stand on her own though so she trudged along as the other girl helped her over towards the lockers.

"My name is Keiko, are you going to be alright miss?", the brown haired girl asked in concern as she looked at the shorter red-head next to her. "Do you need a place to stay tonight?"

"I should be alright", Ranma replied with a slight smile on her face, "I've spent most of my life on the road training in martial arts and camping out. Thank you for your concern though, it's appreciated. My name is Ranma."

Keiko raised an eyebrow in skepticism but nodded her head as she replied, "Nice to meet you Ranma. I'll give you some privacy so you can get dressed."

"Thank you. It was nice to meet you too", Ranma replied as she waited for the other girl to leave the room before unwrapping the towel that provided some modesty. She dried herself off and changed into a clean set of underwear and then put on a blue Chinese shirt and a pair of black drawstring pants. The Saotome heiress didn't have to worry about changing forms for awhile but she had only brought along clothing that was suitable for hiking and camping.

Ranma stared at herself in the mirror again for a few moments as she looked at her wild mane of flaming red hair. She pulled out a hairbrush and looked at it not remembering when she had gotten it. In the past she had paid very little attention to her hair and braided it into a pigtail. Recently she had started wearing it in a ponytail since she didn't have to worry about the Dragon Whisker curse anymore. She sighed and brushed it out deciding that she would wear it down for awhile and see if she liked it that way.

She turned to her left and noticed that her hair reached a quarter of the way down her back and thought, '_This is a decent length for me but it wouldn't hurt to grow it out a little bit more so that it reaches the middle of my back. I don't think I want it to go down to my waist or anything like that though. I wish Akane would grow her hair out. It's too short the way it is now and she looks more like a boy than I do._'

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><p>Ranma walked out of the bathhouse after saying goodbye to Keiko and leapt up onto the rooftops. It was almost 10:00pm and due to her heat induced nap she wasn't feeling particularly tired at the moment. Ranma shivered in the cold evening air and pulled out a jacket but found its warmth rather lacking. The red haired girl paced back and forth on the roof of the bathhouse trying to clear her mind so she could figure out her next move.<p>

'_It's so cold out here. What was I thinking leaving tonight and going camping of all things?_', Ranma berated herself as she shivered despite her jacket. She considered going back to the Tendo's for a few moments where it was warmer but then shook her head. No, she had left in order to give Akane some time and space and couldn't very well go back on that after three lousy hours. Perhaps she should take Keiko up on her offer. Ranma jumped back down to the street and walked into the bathhouse.

"Um, Keiko?", Ranma said with a sheepish smile on her face, "Can I talk to you about your offer of a place to stay? It's a little colder out there than I thought it was."

"Sure", the chestnut haired girl said happily as her face lit up with a dazzling smile, "You can spend the night at my house."

Ranma felt a warning flag appear in her mind as she recalled the last time a stranger had offered her a place to stay for the evening. That Sakura woman had tried to steal her innocence and a kiss before she had confessed to her girlfriend and fiancée Akane.

"Don't worry Ranma", Keiko said softly as she noticed the look of concern on the other girl's face. "My parents won't mind and my boyfriend won't get jealous. We're both girls after all so it's not like I am going to try to kiss you or anything. I just thought you would be really cold sleeping outside. At least tomorrow you'll be able to get to some place warm."

"Thank you", Ranma replied sincerely. "Anything I can do to help to repay you for your hospitality?"

"Don't worry about it", the cashier replied as she finished zeroing out the register and cleaning up the lobby. "You'll be my guest for the evening, after all friends should help one another shouldn't they?"

"Friends?", Ranma repeated to herself too softly for Keiko to hear. It was such an alien concept to her, someone offering to be her friend without wanting something in return. She wondered if this was a glimpse into what a normal life was like as opposed to the insanity that was _her_ normal life. Perhaps she and Keiko could become friends.

"Okay", Keiko said happily as she started walking towards the door after putting on a jacket, "I'm ready to go. The cleaning crew will lock up when they are done."

Ranma nodded and the two girls walked out into the chilly evening air and they both shivered.

"Seriously Ranma, you were going to camp out in this?", the chestnut haired girl asked incredulously.

"I thought I was", Ranma replied with a shrug of her shoulders. She sighed inwardly when she thought how months ago she would have been so filled with macho pride she would have done it without a second thought. The Saotome heiress knew abandoning the whole 'man amongst men' mentality and how he, when she was a he, had to face every any challenge was a smart plan. Oh sure, she might be tough but there was no reason to add stupid and uncomfortable to her already unusual character description.

"I live this way", Keiko said as she pointed towards the west side of town. The two girls walked for awhile idly talking and getting to know one another when they arrived at a modest one story red bricked house with a fenced in yard.

"Oh, I almost forgot to ask", Ranma said hesitantly as they stood on the porch and her companion pulled out a house key, "You don't have a cat do you?"

"No", the brown haired girl replied sadly as she looked over at her companion and noticed a trace of fear in the other girl's blue eyes, "Mom's allergic even though I would love to have one. Are you allergic as well?"

"Yes", Ranma replied as she sighed in relief. It wasn't technically true but it was close enough without going into the whole Nekoken story. Besides, if allergic meant a severe reaction to the allergen and that included losing one's mind and becoming dangerous, it was accurate enough. Keiko nodded in understanding and unlocked the door.

* * *

><p>The two girls walked in and introductions were made between Ranma and Keiko's parents, Mokoto and Akira. The brown haired girl led her new friend down the hall to her room so she could drop off her pack. Keiko pointed out Miki's room, who was her younger sister, before they went back out into the kitchen in order to eat a light dinner. Ranma found her new friend's parents pleasant enough and answered some of their questions about her past. She left out some of the more unbelievable things like the Nekoken, Jusenkyo, Chinese Amazons and her superhuman fights against Herb and Saffron.<p>

"So Ranma", Akira asked sweetly, "Do you have a boyfriend?"

"No", Ranma replied as pleasantly as she could despite the fact that the topic made her nauseous.

"A beautiful girl like you? Why not, do you not like guys or something?", she asked, not aware of the true scope of the situation.

"Mom!", Keiko yelled in the red haired girl's defense, "How can you ask my new friend something like that?"

"My apologies", the older woman said with a smile and continued, "I meant no offense. I just find it hard to believe that a gorgeous young woman like yourself would be unattached. If I had a son I would have already tried to play matchmaker."

"Mother", Keiko said in a warning tone, "You're embarrassing her. Maybe she hasn't found a guy she can tolerate yet, let alone want to be with. She goes to Furinkan High which isn't the best place to find a suitable boyfriend considering its supposed 'prime specimen'. I remember hearing a story about some crazy upper classman, Tatewaki Kuno I believe was his name", Ranma nodded, "issued some sort of challenge that no one could date a certain girl, Akane Tendo", Ranma nodded again, "without beating her in combat first. As a result, she was mobbed by dozens of stupid perverts every morning for weeks until it suddenly stopped. I think the girl got engaged or something and they finally left her alone more or less. If that is the mentality of the boys at her school, I can see why Ranma wouldn't want anything to do with them."

"Oh my!", Akira replied in a very Kasumish manner, "That's so horrible. I'm sorry Ranma."

"It's okay", Ranma replied as she offered the women a ghost of a smile. "Akane is one of my best friends and I've tried to help her out when I can. The Hentai Horde gave up for awhile so it was only Kuno that bothered us. Unfortunately, I think they might be starting up again although for some reason they left us alone this morning. I doubt we'll be so lucky tomorrow."

"We? Oh, right. It started with Akane but I'm sure they plagued you just as much as they did her", Keiko said as she shook her head in disgust. Ranma nodded in agreement.

A little while later, Keiko's parents wished the two girls a good night and retired to their room. Ranma and Keiko left the kitchen and went back to the brown haired girl's room as it was getting pretty late at this point and they both had school in the morning.

"I hope this is okay", Keiko said hesitantly as she pulled out a spare futon from underneath her western style bed.

"This is more than okay Keiko, thank you for your friendship and hospitality", Ranma replied as she set up the futon and climbed inside, not feeling particularly eager to strip in front of the other girl.

Ranma looked over at her new friend only to look away when she noticed that the girl had stripped out of her street clothes. Keiko was wearing only a pair of white panties when she pulled out a nightgown and put it on before crawling into bed. Even though she dearly loved Akane, the red-head was a die hard lesbian and was far from dead. Her new friend was a very beautiful girl with generous curves complimented by fairly large and perky breasts. Her long chestnut colored hair coiled around her body like a snake and framed her toned and slightly tanned body perfectly. The girl might not be a martial artist but she sure kept herself in fine shape.

Keiko looked over at her red haired companion and wondered why the girl was going to try to sleep in street clothes.

'_Maybe she always sleeps fully clothed_', the brown haired girl mused thoughtfully, '_She's a martial artist and it sounds like she gets attacked, even at home, on a somewhat regular basis. That's reason enough to always be clothed if she can help it. Come to think of it, she did seem a little uncomfortable when I woke her up in the bath and was really grateful when I offered her the towel._'

"G'night Keiko", Ranma said sleepily as she closed her eyes as she tried to clear her mind. The Saotome heiress kept seeing Keiko's very shapely and very nude body just before the girl had put on a nightgown replay itself over and over. Refusing to allow herself to cheat on her girlfriend, even if it was only in her mind, she summoned a picture of Akane and focused on the raven haired girl's facial features. She gently placed two fingers on her lips and smiled as she imagined that her love was kissing her goodnight.

"Good night Ranma", Keiko replied as she continued to think about some of the things that the other girl had told her about herself before drifting off to sleep.

* * *

><p>The next morning Ranma awoke feeling warm and comfortable as she slowly opened her eyes. She looked around the room as memories of the previous night came back to her and noticed that Keiko was missing and her bed was made. The red haired girl climbed out of her futon and put it away after stripping off the sheets and bundling them up in her arms.<p>

"Oh you're awake", Akira replied as she poked her head into the room. "Oh don't worry about that. Come out to the kitchen and I'll fix you something to eat. Keiko and Miki had to go to school today and left already."

"What time is it?", Ranma asked as she rubbed her eyes trying to get the sleepiness out of them.

"It's after 9:00am", the older woman said pleasantly.

"Argh", the red head groaned as she slapped her forehead. "I'm late. I was going to go to school today."

"You still can but you really ought to eat something before you go", Keiko's mother replied.

"Is there anything I can do to help? Your family has been so kind to me by allowing me to stay last night...", Ranma said as she started to stand up.

"Thank you for your offer", Akira said as she gently pushed Ranma back into her seat, "Don't worry about it though, it was our pleasure. You know Keiko really doesn't make friends that easily so it was nice to see her connect with someone and bring her home with her."

"She seemed so outgoing", Ranma said slowly, "How would such a friendly girl not make friends easily?"

The mother laughed quietly and shook her head as she said, "I guess she hasn't turned you into her newest project then. My daughter has quite the reputation of being a busybody. She means well, but a lot of her ideas for her friends tends to backfire on them. As a consequence she's lost some friends over the years and others are very wary of her. She spends a lot of her time alone if she's not with her boyfriend who doesn't seem to mind her meddling."

"I see", the Saotome heiress said softly, "I really hope she doesn't try to do that with me. I already have several people in my life that are constantly interfering and trying to get me to see things their way. Part of the reason I ran away was to get away from that for a few days."

* * *

><p>Ranma left the house after thanking Keiko's mother for her hospitality and headed for Furinkan High. She figured she had until about 1:00pm before she would have to leave in order to make sure she arrived at the campsite and set up before dark. The red haired girl would also need to catch some dinner, whether that was game in the forest or fish in the lake didn't really matter. There were some travel rations in her bag but those were hardly filling.<p>

'_Perhaps Pops was right_', she mused as she walked along towards her school lost in thought, '_I have gotten spoiled from Kasumi's wonderful cooking. I've forgotten what's it like to actually live off the trail for a time. The rice packets will be somewhat filling but I really should have put more thought into this and packed more food._'

The Saotome heiress leapt onto a nearby rooftop so she could see where she was in relation to her destination. She needed to make sure Ukyo was at school before heading to Ucchan's in order to talk to Konatsu. She also wanted to talk to Mousse but didn't want to have to deal with the old ghoul or Shampoo.

'_My disguises won't help me this time_', Ranma thought to herself as she picked up her pace to a fast run, '_I actually need Konatsu and Mousse to recognize me and if I have to go to the Nekohanten I am doomed anyway. Cologne can sense my aura so no amount of girl clothing, wigs and glasses would help there. It's just as well, all of that stuff is back at the Tendo's and I don't need that complication either._'

Ranma arrived at her destination a few minutes later and dropped down into an alleyway near the front gates of the school. She engaged her _Umisen-ken_ and walked onto the school grounds under a cloak of invisibility. Despite the shady purpose it was originally designed for it really did come in handy for stealth and reconnaissance missions as well. She crept along the second floor hallway and looked into her classroom. Her eyes fell upon her girlfriend and for a moment she nearly lost the concentration needed to maintain the invisibility cloak.

'_Kami-sama she is so beautiful_', Ranma sighed wistfully as she took in Akane's facial features, including the cute little pout the girl was wearing then. Suddenly the raven haired girl looked out the window and right at her. Ranma could see a look of surprise on the other girl's face before her pout split into a brilliant smile.

Akane sat in her classroom, somewhat bored and wishing the day would just hurry up and be over with along with a couple more like it. She missed her red haired girlfriend terribly and wanted nothing more than to see and hold the smaller girl in her arms as their lips touched gently before becoming something far more passionate. She looked down at her desk and pouted, didn't Ranma realize that by leaving she was actually hurting her rather helping? That was when she felt a familiar presence somewhere nearby. She looked around the classroom until her senses told her it was actually coming from outside. Akane turned and looked out the window, certain that her girlfriend was standing out there looking in on her. Her eyes saw nothing, so she reached out with her other senses and sure enough, Ranma was there using her cloak of invisibility. Her pout immediately morphed into a brilliant smile.

The raven haired girl stared at her girlfriend and mouthed the words, "I love you."

"Akane Tendo", a voice to her right called and the girl in question snapped her head around.

"Yes Sensei?", Akane asked, guessing that she had been caught staring out the window and mouthing something.

"Pay attention. Daydream on your own time please", the teacher replied sternly before returning to her lecture while some of her classmates snickered or giggled softly.

"Yes ma'am", the raven haired girl replied before returning her attention back to where she had sense Ranma only to find nothing there. Akane sighed and wondered if she had imagined the whole thing or if her girlfriend really had been standing outside their classroom. Why was she here and not at the campsite? Why did she have to go at all?

* * *

><p>Ranma left the school grounds feeling a mixture of emotions ranging from depression to relief. On the one hand, Ukyo had been in the classroom so that meant it was safe to go talk to Konatsu. On the other, Akane had sensed her so that was bound to be an awkward conversation come Friday. The red haired girl pondered how her girlfriend had pierced her father's technique when hardly anyone else could.<p>

Akane didn't have the sharpest Ki sense by any means so how did she know? Maybe it was because of the bond they shared when their Kis intertwined that day at the Meiji Shrine. Perhaps the reason Akane could see through the cloak of invisibility was because she was just as much a part of Ranma as the red-head was part of her. Could the two of them really be soul mates and bonded in such a way that they would be able to sense if the other were in danger or where they were no matter how well they tried to hide?

Ranma's face broke out in a huge grin as she considered that and thought, '_That's perfect. We can play hide and seek this weekend. I'll cloak myself in the Umsen-ken and she can try to find me. Who says training can't be fun?_'

A few minutes later the Saotome heiress dropped her invisibility and jumped down to the street below her in front of Ukyo's restaurant. She walked up to the door and knocked. A few moments later the door opened partly revealing a rather feminine looking person in a kimono looking back at her.

"Ah, Ranma", Konatsu said happily as he opened the door and allowed the shorter girl to walk in. "Welcome to Ucchan's though I suspect it's not Ukyo you've come to see."

"Hello Konatsu, it's nice to see you again. You're right, I am here to see you. How have you been?", Ranma asked pleasantly.

"I have been well I suppose. I hope things are going well for you considering what happened on Saturday", the kunoichi replied sadly as he bowed his head slightly after closing the door so the two could talk in private.

"Konatsu", Ranma began as she sat down in one of the booths. The cross dressing ninja followed suit and sat across from his guest and raised an eyebrow inviting the smaller girl to continue. "Did you try to stop Ukyo from blowing up my wedding?"

"Yes", he said sadly as he shook his head slowly, "I begged her not to go through with it. I know you love Akane and that she loves you. I have tried to get her to see that but she refuses to believe that you could possibly love anyone but her. She told me about what happened yesterday in how you refused to talk to her up on the roof of the school."

"Did she tell you what happened after that?", Ranma asked as she rested her hands on the table.

"No", the kunoichi replied. "She said that she was going to win you from the uncute tomboy no matter what and started working on a new okinomiyaki that she was going to offer you. I'm afraid she's sunk to a new low in her desperation to win you."

"Oh?", Ranma asked as she raised an eyebrow and thought heatedly, '_Damn it Ukyo, I am not a prize to be won. Besides, Akane stole my heart a long time ago._'

Konatsu sighed and said, "She plans to feed you an okinomiyaki that will cause you fall in love with the first female you see, which of course, she will make sure is her. As if that's not bad enough, she plans to invite Akane along with you so that you or her aren't on your guard or suspicious. She plans to feed Akane a drugged okinomiyaki that will cause her to hate the first male she sees, which Ukyo is going to ensure is you in your male form."

"When did she start working on this?", Ranma asked, wondering if sending the chef into the wall had knocked a few screws loose or if this was just the next step in her desperation.

"Right after she came home from school", Konatsu replied. "If I may ask, what happened after you refused to talk to her?"

"She attacked Nabiki", the red haired girl replied and nodded her head when the man in front of her gasped in surprise. "After I caught and bent her spatula in half I knocked her into the school wall. I suspect she was unconscious for awhile but that was my last interaction with her."

"Damn", Konatsu said as he dropped his demure act for a second. "I'll see what I can do about sabotaging her special okinomiyakis so they don't mess up your relationship with Akane."

"Thanks", Ranma replied and then tapped her finger on her chin as she looked thoughtful for a few moments, "Say Konatsu, rather than sabotage them, do you think you could 'encourage' Ukyo to eat one of them?"

"Which one?", Konatsu said slyly, mischief glinting in his eyes. "Do you want her to hate a guy or fall in love with another woman?"

Ranma laughed quietly and said, "Well, there is too much hate in the world already and I wouldn't want her to hate you accidentally. Of course, having her become a stalking lesbian might be worse..."

"You know what though?", the kunoichi said smoothly and giggled as his eyes danced in mirth, "Maybe it'll teach her not to try to mess around with other people's feelings. What she did on Saturday was just inexcusable and she's deluding herself if she thinks you'll ever choose her."

"As far as I am concerned she's crossed the line", Ranma replied as she nodded sadly. "I doubt I would ever consider her my friend again but I would be honored if you were."

"You honor me Ranma, thank you", Konatsu replied as he reached across the table and grasped the red-head's hands in his own, one warrior to another.

* * *

><p>An hour or so later, Ranma left Ucchan's and waved goodbye to her new friend and headed for the park. Just before she left, Konatsu called the Nekohanten and asked for a bowl of ramen to be delivered to the north side of Nerima Park when Mousse could deliver it. Cologne's eyebrows rose in curiosity when the girl on the other side of the line had asked for Mousse but saw no reason to disappoint the customer.<p>

_'Perhaps this girl likes him and he will finally give up on Shampoo_', Cologne thought to herself as she prepared a chicken ramen dish. "Mr. Part time!"

"Yes?", Mousse said as he walked into the kitchen carrying a broom and a dustpan.

"You have a delivery. Go to the north side of Nerima Park and look for a girl in a blue top and black pants. She will answer to the name Kaori."

Mousse nodded his head as he dropped off the cleaning supplies in the closet before taking the delivery box and heading for the park.

"Who Kaori?", Shampoo asked as she watched the blind Amazon walk out of the cafe.

"How should I know? She was a customer who called in and ordered ramen", Cologne said tiredly with a hint of steel in her voice.

Shampoo had been bugging her nearly endlessly for the last day and a half ever since the martial arts prodigy had knocked the bubbly Amazon into the canal. She shook her head in exasperation and just wanted to go home. She was tired of Japan and its peoples. There was no way the pigtailed wonder would ever choose her great granddaughter and she was getting really tired of enabling the fool girl's quest. Still, Shampoo was as stubborn as they come so while she would not aid her in any way, she wouldn't sabotage any efforts the lavender haired girl tried either. She just had to wait until her great granddaughter figured it out for herself and came to her senses.

"Maybe I go see?", Shampoo said hopefully.

"No child", Cologne said in annoyance, "Stay here and finish preparing the restaurant for the lunch rush. Why do you care who Kaori is anyway? Is it because you are jealous that someone asked for Mousse and not for you?"

"Stupid girl can have duck boy for all Shampoo care!", the Amazon yelled before stomping back towards the tables in order to clean them off.

Cologne chuckled and went back to work cooking more ramen for their future customers. Shampoo's jealousy was so obvious and her denials so pathetic there would be no way she would make a good leader of the council or find much happiness as a woman. Instead of using the years in Japan to grow both in maturity and become a woman of the world, her fool great granddaughter had squandered them in petty squabbles and chasing someone who clearly didn't like her at all. If it wasn't obvious before Jusendo, it definitely should have been afterwards in addition to the wedding the previous Saturday. Nope, her great granddaughter would never be a leader for their people. Good thing she didn't plan on kicking the bucket any time soon despite being over one hundred years old.

* * *

><p>Mousse wandered into the northern section of Nerima park and looked around for the mysterious girl. He put his glasses over his eyes but didn't see anyone matching the description of the girl that he was supposed to meet.<p>

"Damn crone", Mousse groused, "There is no girl here with a blue top and a pair of black pants. If she wanted me to leave the restaurant all she had to do was ask. I would have gladly left those two horrible slave drivers for the afternoon."

"Glad to hear it", a voice he vaguely recognized said from somewhere nearby.

"Kaori?", the Amazon asked hesitantly as he looked around but still couldn't see the mysterious speaker or the girl he sought.

"Hi Mousse", Ranma said pleasantly as she jumped down from the tree she was hiding within. "I'm Kaori and I believe you have the chicken ramen I ordered."

"Ranma?", Mousse asked in confusion, trying to figure out what the petite red-head was up to and whether he should attack her or not.

"Do you have to go back right away?", Ranma asked sweetly as she pulled out enough money for the ramen plus a decent tip. "I wanted to talk to you away from the old ghoul and Shampoo. I figured if I ordered something to eat we could sit down and share it while we talked for a bit."

"You want to talk to me?", the blind weapons master asked in surprise, wondering what sort of alternate dimension he had fallen into. Saotome was a girl, that in itself wasn't that unusual but the fact that the boy in question was being nice, offering to share a meal and wanted to talk to him was. Usually he just attacked the pigtailed martial artist for some real or imagined slight against Shampoo. That was it, since he didn't care about Shampoo any longer, what Ranma did or didn't do with her didn't matter to him in the least. Mousse thought back and tried to remember if the other boy had ever actually wanted Shampoo and the only instance that came to mind was that damned reversal jewel. Even then it was probably only because she wanted nothing to do with the other boy, just as the lavender haired Amazon never wanted anything to do with him.

Ranma nodded and grabbed Mousse's hand into her own and led him over towards a bench and sat down. Mousse followed on auto-pilot in confusion at his ex-rival's behavior. There was nothing masculine about this Ranma. If he had never met the martial artist and known better he would have said that the girl in front of him was in fact a real girl through and through. Her behavior wasn't over the top and cutesy, it was just like any normal girl's that might like him a little bit. He shook his head at that thought and reminded himself that the red-head in front of him was a guy. He pulled his hand out of hers and sat down on the bench.

"What did you want to talk to me about?", the black haired boy asked as he ate some of the ramen his companion offered to him.

"First of all, how are you doing Mousse?", Ranma asked, genuinely curious as to how his imagined rival for Shampoo was. "I also wanted to know if there was any way for you to help me get Shampoo and Cologne off my back for good. I've never had an interest in Shampoo and while I get it that you think she's perfect, she and I would never work and I'm tired of her."

"You and me both", Mousse replied softly and Ranma's head spun around as though she wasn't sure she had heard him correctly. "No, you heard me right Ranma. I have no interest in Shampoo anymore. I may be mostly blind, but even I can see what a selfish bitch she is who only cares about how much she can use you before tossing you aside."

"Just like Nabiki. I pity the poor sap who winds up with her", Ranma giggled and Mousse laughed, something she couldn't ever recall hearing from the male Amazon unless it was forced maniacal laughter like when he had kidnapped Akane the first time.

"Back to your question though", Mousse said thoughtfully, "As far as I know the Kiss of Death on you has been dropped in favor of the Kiss of Marriage. I don't know how open you are to the idea of remaining a girl for the rest of your life...", he paused in order to gauge Ranma's reaction. His eyebrows rose when none came and continued, "but that ultimately wouldn't help you. See, while an Amazon woman might have a problem marrying another girl, the tribe as a whole does not. They become co-wives to a husband and that actually helps populate the tribe as now one man can impregnate two women at the same time. I can tell you this though, Cologne is getting really tired of Shampoo's foolishness so you may already have her off your back. I don't think she'll stop Shampoo from trying to get you but she won't help either."

"I see. Well that's something at least, thank you Mousse", Ranma replied happily.

"I should probably get going", Mousse said miserably as he stood up with the delivery case.

"Did I keep you too long?", the red haired girl asked, hoping nothing of their conversation would get back to the old ghoul or the soulless harpy that were his Amazon kin.

"No", the black haired boy replied, "I enjoyed our talk Ranma, thank you for freeing me from them for a little while. I might be able to slip away later if you want to talk some more."

"I'm leaving town today", Ranma replied and looked around hoping that no one was eavesdropping, "Please don't tell anyone that. I'd rather no one try to follow me."

"Are you leaving for good?", Mousse asked softly in concern. If Ranma were to run, Shampoo would likely get even more desperate than she already was and do something stupid. Not that she didn't deserve to be knocked down a few pegs. Ranma didn't want to deal with her anymore, not that he could blame him.

"No, but I still don't want to deal with anyone for awhile so I am leaving for a few days. If anyone asks, you don't know where I am and you never saw the pigtailed martial artist formerly known as Ranma", the red haired girl replied as she looked at the boy besides her pleading with her eyes.

"What do you mean by formally known? Are you changing your name to Kaori and abandoning your male half?", the male Amazon asked, puzzled at this turn of events as he scratched the bridge of his nose.

Ranma offered him a cute smile before grabbing her backpack, running out of the park and leaping on top of the nearest building only to disappear half a second later.

Mousse watched as the blue blur left him standing there in confusion and sighed. He had no intention of telling the old mummy or Shampoo about his encounter with the Saotome heiress but still the whole exchange bothered him slightly, especially the last part. If Ranma, Kaori, was going to remain a girl for the rest of his life, where did that leave Akane? Would the red haired martial artist really do that to the poor girl who had tried to marry him not even a week previous? He knew there was more to the story than he was being told and figured he would learn the truth soon enough. He wouldn't mention anything to Akane, just in case it was some sort of ruse.

'_I wonder if this is a test_', Mousse thought to himself as he walked back towards the Nekohanten. '_He asks me questions that I would normally report back to the old mummy or Shampoo. Then he drops this bomb about staying a girl forever thinking that if I told them about the first part that I would mention the second. He knows that won't get them off his back though because of the whole co-wife thing I mentioned. What is his plan? Perhaps the content doesn't matter and it's the simple act of whether I say anything or not. He's trying to figure out if he can trust me._'

Ranma laughed happily as she flew across the Nerima skyline leaping over roads from one roof to another as though she was skipping down a sidewalk. She headed north in order to leave the ward and reach the forest beyond. She didn't really want to trick Mousse but she had to know if she could trust him. What better way than to give him some tasty tidbits that he would either keep to himself and earn her trust or tell the old ghoul and Shampoo and betray her trust. Either way she would know the outcome in a few days or less if they came hunting for her.

'_Besides, it might not actually be a trick_', the red haired girl thought as she recalled her self reflections from the evening before while she was soaking in the public baths. '_Hello. My name is Ranko Saotome, it's a pleasure to meet you._'

* * *

><p>A couple of hours later, Ranma found the campsite she wanted to use for her isolation before Akane showed up sometime Friday for their training trip. She stood on top of a cliff and surveyed the area around her. There was a decent size clearing next to a freshwater pond that turned into a stream as it flowed away. Surrounding the clearing on three sides were all manner of trees with branches that were low enough to train the Tendo girl in the basics of tree hopping. Ranma frowned when she didn't see a hot spring anywhere as that really would have been nice after training and sparring.<p>

'_Oh well_', Ranma mused as a sly smile crossed her angelic face, '_I guess I'll just have to give her a full body massage to sooth her aching muscles after training. She can give me one too which will feel so so good..._'

The red haired girl giggled softly to herself as she imagined her girlfriend's strong but soft hands caressing over her body and she began to swoon. A few moments later she gained control of herself since falling off the cliff would totally ruin her plans. Ranma climbed down and made her way to the clearing where she began making preparations to set up camp. She pitched her tent and created a fire pit so that she would have means for cooking her dinner and keeping warm later. She moved her backpack into the tent and dug through it until she found her bathing suit. Questioning her sanity for a moment, Ranma changed into a one piece suit and walked out of her tent with a towel wrapped around her neck. The Saotome heiress walked over towards the freezing lake and frowned as she thought how cold the water probably was considering the time of year. She stepped into the water and nearly screamed as it felt like a thousand knives were stabbing her all at once.

"Oh Kami-sama that's freaking cold", the Saotome heiress growled as she stumbled out of the water and hobbled over towards the fire pit before cursing herself for not starting a fire. She sat down on one of the logs nearby and rubbed her foot in order to restore the warmth to it. "There is no way I will be able to teach Akane how to swim in that and I didn't see a hot spring anywhere nearby. I'll have to teach her using the public baths, but that means I'll have to lock myself as a girl for another week too. I wonder if the swimming pool at school is warm enough despite it being outside."

"Oh great", Ranma berated herself sarcastically, "How am I going to take a bath for the next few days when the water is that cold? Brilliant plan Ranma, let's go camping in the woods in the early part of February when it's 10°C (50°F) outside during the day and barely above freezing at night."

The red haired girl scowled at her own stupidity and stormed back into her tent in order to change out of her bathing suit and back into the clothes she had worn earlier. Her foot was feeling better and she decided she would have to go hunting while she could still see. There was no way she was going to try freshwater fishing this trip. Ranma grabbed a hunting knife from her backpack and stalked out into the forest, hoping to run into something edible.

Ranma engaged her cloak of invisibility and snuck around the forest floor when she spotted a couple of squirrels running amongst the tree branches. The red haired girl grimaced when she remembered how gamey they tasted. She didn't see much of an alternative though. The Saotome heiress felt her Ki well up inside of her, confident in her passion for Akane and unleashed an energy bolt at each of her targets. The Ki-bolts looked like miniature fireballs. They had a white core that was surrounded by a red corona. The two energy bolts lanced out from the palms of her hands and slammed into the tree branches, missing both squirrels and alerting them to the presence of a hunter.

The Saotome heiress frowned and tried again, this time attempting to split the energy four ways. She didn't need a lot of power and having more bolts flying around would help her land a hit. She focused on her passions again and summoned four bolts of energy. They lanced out on her outstretched hands and slammed into the tree branch with less force than before. One of the squirrels was caught in the blast and fell to the ground stunned. Ranma sighed and drew her knife in order to do what was necessary.

The red-head walked back towards her campsite with mixed emotions flashing across her face. She never liked to kill anything but the fact of the matter was she needed to be a hunter on this trip. Her rations would hardly be filling enough and it was too cold to fish. Ranma wondered if she would feel bad about killing fish to eat them and realized that she wouldn't. Why was a squirrel any different?

After starting a fire and skinning the squirrel's carcass, Ranma gathered up some water from the pond and set it up over the fire so that it would boil. Once the water in the pot was at the proper temperature she threw in a small bag of rice and the squirrel meat she could bring herself to actually try to eat, she sat back and waited for dinner to be ready. Ranma watched with a smile on her face as the sky turned pink when the sun sank in the horizon taking its warmth and light with it unfortunately.

'_I wonder what my tomboy is doing right now_', Ranma thought to herself as she continued to watch the sun disappear into the earth and the first star of the evening shimmered into view. '_I love you Akane._'

* * *

><p>It was Friday afternoon when Akane walked along the dusty road amongst farms just outside the Nerima ward as she headed for the campsite her girlfriend had said she would be. She resisted the urge to touch her hair and wondered when she would actually see the effects of the formula. There had been nothing in the directions about how long it should take for signs of it working but the raven haired girl suspected it would take longer than the eight hours or so since the first application. Her thoughts drifted back to the events earlier that day as she trudged along, just wanting to be in Ranma's arms again.<p>

_Her sister had woken her up at 6:00am in order to apply the first layer of the hair formula down at the kitchen table. She changed into some older clothes just in case Kasumi spilled some of it and sat at the table. It was fairly warm to the touch and the scalp massage her older sister had performed felt really good. Akane found herself lost in thought as she thought about her girlfriend and missed what her sister had said._

_"What?", Akane asked as her mind switched back to her older sister._

_"I said", Kasumi replied patiently, "I think you should go to school today after all. You've missed so much lately between your excursion to China and Monday's little field trip that I really don't think you should miss any more."_

_"I agree. I have been absent too much lately", Akane replied and then looked thoughtful, "When do you think we should we apply the next layer of formula?"_

_"How about you come home during lunch and we can do it then?", Kasumi asked as she washed off her hands and covered the pot before putting it in the refrigerator. "Auntie Saotome and I have a meeting with a police detective and our family lawyer this morning but we should be done before lunchtime."_

_"Okay", the raven haired girl said, "I'll come back for lunch and just stay here then."_

_"What about your classes after lunch?", the older girl asked, not really eager to see her sister skip any more school._

_"Well", Akane replied, "I was going to miss gym anyway on account of my hair and the other class I would miss is Home Ec. If we're making something today it would be nice if I didn't drip into whatever it is I am trying to bake. We all know how bad I am in the kitchen when I'm not dripping into things, there is no need to make it worse."_

_"You've been improving lately though", Kasumi said gently as she chuckled softly, "if those brownies you brought home Tuesday are any indication. I would have thought you would have made something else either Wednesday or yesterday though and don't recall seeing anything you might have brought home with you."_

_"We did", Akane said softly, "It didn't turn out particularly well so I threw it out before leaving the classroom."_

_"Oh my!", Kasumi replied as a hand flew to her mouth in traditional Kasumi style surprise. "What did you do?"_

_"I'm not sure exactly", the younger Tendo said quietly as she shrugged her shoulders, "It exploded in the oven."_

_"I see", the brown haired woman said, "Well, I would appreciate it if you didn't do that to ours. Next time you cook something I want to watch, maybe I can help you prevent another disaster like that."_

_Akane nodded slightly and smiled. She knew she was a walking disaster area in the kitchen and hoped that some day she would be able to cook. It would be nice if her family, and her girlfriend especially, would be willing to eat her food and not get sick. Somehow, Tuesday she had made a batch of brownies perfectly because she wasn't really thinking about what she was doing. Akane realized that if she followed the book and did exactly as it said things would turn out alright. She had followed the directions in her last attempt but somehow the dish had exploded and she didn't understand why._

_Kasumi sat down at the kitchen table and took her sister's hands into her own as she said gently, "Akane, what are your plans for this weekend? Are you going to stay around here or did you plan on going camping with Ranma right after lunch?"_

_The youngest Tendo sighed heavily and said with a trace of annoyance in her voice, "I take it you're asking because you want to come along in order to make sure we don't do anything improper?"_

_"There is that", Kasumi conceded gently and then said, "I would also like to know if you're going to be here this weekend because I am your sister and I love you."_

_"I love you too and yes, I was planning on heading to the campsite early this afternoon", Akane replied, some of her annoyance slipping away. "We had made plans to go on a training trip this weekend. I would like to do that since our dojo is still wrecked and there are things we can do out there that we can't do here."_

_"Oh my!", Kasumi frowned and shook her head slowly in disapproval. "I know you two have confessed your love for one another but you really shouldn't be doing anything like that until you are married."_

_"Kasumi!", Akane hissed quietly as she blushed crimson and glared at her older sister. "Not that. I meant training in tree hopping, sparring, Ki techniques, and things like that. We don't want to wreck the house or the dojo more than they already are." _

_"Oh", the eldest Tendo daughter said in relief as she blushed at her blunder. "Still though, I should come along and make sure."_

_"Are you going to forbid me to go if you don't come along?", Akane asked quietly, her irritation creeping back into her voice again. The raven haired girl really didn't want her sister to come along for many reasons. The youngest Tendo sighed and said, "Ranma and I really need to talk privately and get this whole thing straightened out. I would really rather you didn't come with me. You don't have to worry about us doing anything improper."_

_"Heat of the moment Akane", Kasumi said gently. "There are a lot of couples out there with kids that didn't think they would cross the line and now it's too late. I don't want that to happen to the two of you since you're not married and are still in school."_

_"So that's it then", Akane said in an aggravated tone of voice. "Either we both go or neither of us go huh?"_

_"I wish you wouldn't think of it that way", Kasumi sighed heavily as she squeezed the other girl's hands. "I'm just trying to protect you two from doing something I don't think you are remotely ready for and will ultimately regret in a moment of passion."_

_"Why are you so worried about that?", the raven haired girl hissed softly. "He betrayed me. I probably would have punted him to the moon if he had stayed around here the last few days. I'm ready to hear his explanations now and I want him to train me like he promised. Seriously Kasumi, you don't have to worry about us getting all touchy feely with one another and having sex. We may have confessed to one another lately but that doesn't mean we are a couple. In light of the whole P-chan fiasco he will have to work hard in order to earn my trust again and it may be awhile, if ever, before we're a couple."_

_"I see", Kasumi said sadly as she looked away from her little sister, stood up and walked over towards the sink. She sighed as she stared out the window and said, "Very well Akane. You can leave for the campsite whenever you want and I won't stop you. I just ask that you be careful and remember what I've said. If you come back pregnant you're on your own."_

_Akane gasped in shock at her sister's words but saw the reasoning behind them. It wasn't like it would matter as she planned to spend the weekend with her girlfriend who was even less ready for physical displays of affection than she was. If Ranma was in her male form for part of the weekend it wouldn't really matter either. It seemed likely he was even less comfortable doing too much physically than he was as a girl. Kasumi really didn't have anything to worry about but she appreciated the concern just the same._

_"I understand Kasumi", Akane replied softly as she stood up and left the room. _

_The raven haired girl returned to her room and closed the door gently before looking for her backpack in the closet. She needed to make sure it was properly packed so that she could leave after lunch. She packed a few days worth of clothing and her bathing suit, though she doubted she would need it because of the time of year. She made sure to pack a thick blanket and hoped it would be enough to stave off the evening chill. _

_There was a polite knock at her door and Kasumi walked in. She looked at her sister sadly and said, "I'm sorry for what I said downstairs Akane. It's just that I worry about you and Ranma, not just your physical well being but your relationship and everything. You've been through so much together and I had hoped that you two would be a couple by now. I think you'll be responsible enough and I don't really have to worry about you doing something you shouldn't. When I was in high school, not that long ago, I saw many friends and couples go through or break up because of everything I warned you about and I really don't want to see that happen to you two."_

_"Thank you for your concern Kasumi", Akane said as she hugged her sister tenderly in an effort not to crush her. _

_"When do you think you'll go?", the older Tendo asked as she rubbed her sister's back._

_"I'll come home around lunchtime so you can do my hair again and then I'll head for the campsite. I don't want to have to try to find the place while it's dark and I'm not sure exactly how long it'll take me to get there. I hope I don't sweat too much and ruin my hair."_

_Kasumi looked at her sister's hair and smiled as she said, "I think you'll be fine. It looks like it's mostly dry already. I don't think you should train but if you want to take a light walk I think it would be alright. If your head is too wet from perspiring the formula could run and the results would be disastrous. I'll apply another coat before you head to school if you want."_

_"Okay, thanks Kasumi", Akane replied and before she resumed packing for her weekend holiday. She looked over towards her desk and considered bringing some homework along with her, after all they weren't going to be training constantly were they? No, but when they weren't training there were far more enjoyable things they could be doing with one another besides homework, such as sleeping and making out..._

* * *

><p>Akane looked around and smiled, in her musings she had left the farmland and was deep in the forest. She pulled out the letter and re-read the directions just to make sure she was going the right way. The last thing she needed was to wonder about the woods like a certain lost boy. After getting her bearings, she began walking in a northwesterly direction towards the mountains. As she walked along, her thoughts turned inward as and a small sarcastic smile appeared on her lips when she recalled what had happened at school that morning.<p>

_The youngest Tendo walked to school wondering what sort of day she would have considering how she had left the quivering mass of boys the day before. They had been pestering her all day begging her to go with them to the Valentine's Day Dance despite still being very much engaged to Ranma. She suspected one of the reasons the principal had decided to host the event was because of the chaos that would happen because of it. Pineapple head knew about the excessive amount of attention she garnered from his own son let alone the rest of the male student body. What better way to cause some chaos than to make her the focal point, which of course would attract Ranma and the rest of the delinquents. _

_When she walked up to the gates, Akane wasn't surprised one bit to see a hoard of boys waiting for her. What surprised her was that they were all on their hands and knees and kept their eyes lowered as she stepped around them on her way into the building. They didn't so much as raise their heads until she was inside. _

_"Yuka, Sayuri", Akane called as she walked into their classroom. "What's going on with the Furinkan pervert convention today?"_

_"They are deathly afraid of you Akane", Sayuri said quietly as she stepped up next to her friend. "I think they decided you were serious at lunch yesterday when you said that you would kill them if they didn't leave you alone. They are trying to apologize by kowtowing and leaving you alone I suppose. Yuka and I weren't the only ones who were really scared when you conjured that sword out of thin air and exuded fire like some sort of demon."_

_"Damn", Akane said softly as she looked down at the floor. "I don't want them to be afraid of me, not really. I just wanted them to leave me alone."_

_"I think you'll be okay eventually", Yuka replied quietly. "They'll avoid you for awhile but if you are your normal friendly self I think they'll eventually stop fearing you..."_

_"I don't know", Sayuri interjected mischievously as she winked, "I'm not so sure she really wants them to stop fearing her necessarily."_

_"Okay", Yuka conceded, "Perhaps in time you and the boys can co-exist without annoying one another too much."_

_"I hope you're right", Akane replied gloomily. It was never her intention to be feared by everyone, she just didn't want to be harassed constantly. She was generally a very friendly and easygoing person until that stupid challenge Kuno had issued at the beginning of her sophomore year. Of course, it was around that time when her shape-changing fiancé crashed into her life turning it upside down and inside out at the same time. _

_After that her morning classes had gone by fairly smoothly. People left her alone so that she could pay attention and hear what she had come there to learn. It felt like it took forever for lunchtime to arrive though as the minutes crawled by. She desperately wanted to leave and reunite with her girlfriend at the campsite._

* * *

><p>An hour or so later, Akane came upon a cliff as she walked heading for her fiancé's campsite. She stood near the edge and surveyed the surrounding area trying to figure out where to go. Her eyes drifted down towards the forest floor and she noticed a clearing bordering a small pond in the mass of trees she had been walking through for hours. There was a tent big enough for two people pitched between the trees and the pond that looked rather old and worn. There was a small fire burning within a circle of stones far enough away from the trees so that the wind wouldn't carry the embers and start a forest fire.<p>

'_This should be the place_', Akane mused to herself as she continued to look around, '_I don't see Ranma anywhere though. I wonder where she is._'

The youngest Tendo carefully made her way down the cliff and cautiously entered the camp as she was not absolutely certain she had found the right site. For all she knew even if it was the correct one, maybe someone else was already here when Ranma arrived and had to go elsewhere. Akane really hoped that wasn't the case as she would have no idea where to look. She would have to go home and hope that Ranma returned sometime over the weekend. Suffice it to say their training trip and romantic getaway would be ruined.

"Hello?", Akane called out tentatively as she stood just outside the clearing and looked around searching the area with her eyes, ears and Ki senses. The raven haired girl really hoped Ranma wasn't trying to pull another invisibility trick and planning on trying to scare her. She might have a heart attack and would have to chase her fiancé around before pounding the jerk if he, or she, did that. After a few moments and finding no one with her senses, the youngest Tendo sighed and walked into the clearing and called out her greeting again. Her eyes and nose caught sight and smell of something cooking over the fire that she hadn't noticed earlier. Whoever was camping there had put some fish on to cook fairly recently. Akane looked around again and began to feel annoyed with whoever was camping there that they hadn't shown themselves yet.

Meanwhile, Ranma was inside her tent rummaging through her backpack looking for a packet of rice to go along with the fish she had managed to catch while swimming. She felt someone approaching and decided to investigate. Engaging the _Umisen-ken_, she abandoned the search for the rice and walked out of the tent before leaping into a tree where she could see who her intruder was. The red haired girl smiled brilliantly as she looked towards the South and watched as Akane walked up to the edge of the clearing. She was incredibly happy to see her girlfriend again but maintained her composure and crouched on the tree branch as she watched the other girl even as she called out her greeting.

Akane dropped off her pack next to the tent and walked over towards the fire pit to see how well done the fish were. She turned them over so the other side would cook and looked around, certainly whoever it was had to be somewhere nearby or else their fish would get burned.

"Hello?", the raven haired girl asked to the air around her again. "Your fish are going to get burned if you don't come out here soon."

"Aiyah!", Ranma shouted just before she dropped her cloak of invisibility and leapt at her girlfriend with a flying jump kick.

Akane startled at the sound and felt her danger sense go off. She instinctively dodged to the side not sure who or what was coming at her. She looked around and found her smirking red haired girlfriend clad in a green bathing suit standing right where she had been a second before.

"That's a hell of a way to greet your girlfriend!", Akane said heatedly as she clutched at her heart and glared at the red-head who was giggling softly.

Ranma shrugged and said teasingly, "I figured you being a martial artist and all that you would appreciate it. Thanks for turning the fish over by the way."

Akane felt all of her anger vanish as she walked up to embrace the other girl and said, "I've missed you so much these past couple of days Ranma. Why did you feel it necessary to scare me half to death though?"

"I've missed you too", Ranma replied as she melted into the taller girl's embrace and rubbed her back. "To answer your question though, I wanted to see if you could detect me through the _Umisen-ken_ like you did on Wednesday. Since I surprised you I guess I wasn't close enough or you weren't really concentrating on trying to find me, I don't know."

Akane nodded her head and the two girls held onto one another for a few moments before they both leaned back at the same time so they could look into one another's eyes. Ranma smiled as she leaned forward and Akane closed her eyes as their lips met in a gentle kiss. It didn't take long for them to press against one another and for their chaste kiss to turn into something far more passionate.

After they kissed for a few minutes, Ranma pulled away and walked over to the fire pit and removed the spits to keep the fish from burning. She looked back at her girlfriend and noticed the front of the other's girl's shirt was all wet and said, "Are you hungry? I have some rice I was going to cook up to go with the fish if you want anything. Sorry for getting your shirt all wet, I hadn't been out of the water that long when I sensed you walking up."

The youngest Tendo looked down at her now see through shirt and shrugged as she said, "It's okay Ranma, I brought plenty of extra clothes and yes, I'm hungry too, thank you."

Ranma walked back into the tent and rummaged through her pack again for the rice while Akane grabbed her backpack and brought it in and set it down. The youngest Tendo started looking through it for a dry change of clothes as everything she was wearing was at least somewhat wet. The red haired girl saw the clothes in her girlfriend's hands and slipped out of the tent in order to give her some privacy. Akane quickly changed into a dark blue long sleeved top with white trim and a pair of black pants. Once dressed, she stepped outside the tent and hung her wet clothing on a makeshift clothesline.

* * *

><p>A little while later, after Ranma had changed into one of her favorite red Chinese shirts and black pants, the two girls sat down side by side on a large log that proved to be a suitable bench. They idly talked about little things while they slowly ate dinner. The bigger stuff, they decided, could wait until they cuddled together in front of the fire as part of their romantic getaway. After dinner was finished and they had put away the dishes, they sat on the ground next to one another with their back against the log and interlaced their fingers. They sat in silence as they watched the sun slip lower in the horizon and turn the sky pink.<p>

"Ranma", Akane said softly as she looked over at her female companion, "Are you locked in your female form from using the water-proof soap?"

"No, at least I shouldn't be anymore", the red-head replied. "I only used it one time Tuesday night while I was at the public baths. I wanted to be able to enjoy a nice long soak in some hot water but I was a girl when I left your house so I couldn't use the men's side."

"When do you think you'll change back?", the youngest Tendo asked, not really sure what she hoped the answer to be. She thought back over the previous week and realized that given the time they had spent with one another, Ranma had been a girl for more than half of it. Considering her problems with males her age in general, and recent experiences in particular, that was probably a good thing.

"That depends on you", Ranma replied softly as she looked into her fiancée's warm chocolate eyes. "I've come to the conclusion that you are more comfortable with me this way, especially in light of what's happened lately. I've decided that I will remain a girl for as long as you want or need me to, even forever if that's what you really want."

"You would do that for me?", Akane gasped and looked at her companion in shock as she gazed into the girl's sparkling blue eyes. She found only sincerity, warmth, friendship, and love radiating from the smaller girl and smiled as she felt her heart melt at the sacrifice her girlfriend was willing to make for her.

"I would", the Saotome heiress replied warmly and without hesitation. "I love you more than anything else in the world Akane. If me being a girl makes you happier, then I will be a girl."

"Oh Ranma", Akane gushed in happiness and leaned forward in order to take the smaller girl in her arms and hugged her fiercely. She smiled and said softly, "You don't have to do that. I appreciate that you are willing and feel comfortable enough to remain female for me, but really I need to become more comfortable with your male half too. You shouldn't have to give up who you are just because I'm having a few issues with males at the moment. You aren't like those perverts at school or that Ryoga bastard. I love you for who you are."

"Thanks Akane, that means a lot to me", Ranma replied as she leaned back and the two girls kissed one another softly for a few moments.

* * *

><p>The two girls sat around the fire and continued to talk about the various things they had experienced over the past couple of days. Akane found she didn't have to try very hard at all to convince Ranma to go to the Valentine's Day Dance with her. When asked why, Ranma merely said that she had been far to single minded in the past and wanted to try new things with the woman she loved. Akane blushed and the two of them began talking about other non-martial arts things they could do together that wouldn't necessary let the world know that they were a couple.<p>

"Akane", Ranma said as she stared into the fire in front of her, "Who knows we're a couple?"

"As of Monday or now?", Akane asked as she scooted up against her girlfriend and wrapped a hand around the other girl's waist.

"Um, what do you mean?", the red haired girl asked in confusion as her hand reciprocated the other girl's actions.

"Well", the raven haired girl replied, "Kasumi, Nabiki, Yuka and Sayuri know that we confessed to one another on Monday. It's only logical to assume they thought we were a couple. Then on Wednesday morning when it was obvious you were gone, I started acting like I didn't care about you or where you were. Kasumi acted surprised though I suspect she really wasn't. She told me later that she had read your letter. I don't know about Nabiki. Your mother was quiet and contemplative while our fathers cried that the schools would never be joined, big surprise there."

Ranma giggled softly, "Yeah."

"As for who knows we're a couple now", Akane paused as she thought back to her conversations with her friends and family the last few days, "I don't think Nabiki knows but I could be wrong knowing her. I'm fairly confident Kasumi believes we are still a couple despite my act to the contrary in light of some of the things she said to me this morning. I told Yuka and Sayuri the real reasons you left and they wanted to pulverize you. I diffused the situation by telling them about my own contributions to the problem and that I have forgiven you. They might beat up on pig boy but I convinced them to leave you alone. In fact, starting Monday I would really like it if you started eating lunch with the three of us."

"They'll be alright with that?", Ranma asked as she raised an eyebrow in curiosity.

The raven haired girl nodded and gently caressed the red-head's face with her hand as she said, "I want my best friends and my girlfriend to get along with one another. Once you all get to know one another I think you'll get along really well. Despite how long ago you met them, you didn't really meet them. I certainly didn't help matters by complaining about you all the time but then, you gave me plenty of reasons then to do so."

"I'll try to give you fewer reasons to complain about me", the red haired girl said with an impish grin as she leaned forward in order to gently kiss the tomboy on her soft and delicious lips. The two girls teased one another with delicate kisses for a few moments as they scooted closer to one another so they wouldn't have to lean forward as much.

Akane smirked and said teasingly, "You bet your sweet ass you will or else I just might have to spank you. You naughty naughty girl you."

The youngest Tendo giggled softly when Ranma blushed crimson and tried to look away. Akane grinned impishly and put her hand gently on her girlfriend's face and turned it back so that the two of them were looking at one another again. She gently caressed the red-head's soft angelic face for a few moments before standing up and holding out her hand to help the smaller girl stand up.

Ranma looked at the other girl with a confused expression on her face and asked, "Akane?"

"Let's go to bed Ranma", Akane said with a smile on her lips. "We have a long day of training ahead of us tomorrow right?"

"Are you tired? It seems a little early to go to sleep", the red-head replied as she stayed seated.

"Who said anything about going to sleep?", the raven haired girl asked mischievously and smiled with a twinkle in her eyes. Understanding dawned on the red-head's face and she allowed Akane to help her stand up.

The two girls walked over to the tent and stepped inside. They rolled out their sleeping bags side by side and formed a larger "bed". Before Ranma could stand or do anything, Akane tackled the smaller girl and straddled her waist with a huge grin on her face. Ranma eyes widened as she looked up into her girlfriend's beautiful face only to find the distance between them rapidly shrinking as Akane leaned over and kissed her on her neck.

Ranma moaned softly at the soft contact and tilted her head in such a way so that more of her slender neck was exposed which Akane gladly took advantage of. The raven haired girl started just below her girlfriend's left ear and gently held the kiss for a few seconds before moving down towards her collarbone. She repeated the process several times which elicited quite a few soft moans form the smaller girl.

Both of the girls could feel their inner cores begin to warm up, Ranma more than her girlfriend for the time being. As Akane gently kissed up and down her fiancé's neck, their breasts rubbed against once another which they both enjoyed despite the two shirts and bras in the way. It was too cold at night to even think about stripping off clothing and they were further from the fire than they had been earlier. Still, they were not particularly cold as their inner passions were coming to life and providing them with the warmth they needed. Ranma wrapped her arms around her girlfriend's back and moving her hands in order to massage the other girl.

"Ranma", Akane said softly as she looked into the other girl's eyes, "While you were at the public baths on Tuesday, you didn't look at the other girls did you?"

"Of course not", Ranma replied as she sighed heavily. "Contrary to popular belief, I am not the pervert you've made me out to be since we met. Despite having numerous opportunities to ogle other girls without retribution, I have tried not to abuse my curse like that."

"I'm sorry Ranma", Akane replied sincerely as she softly caressed the girl's cheeks with her fingers. "You're right, you aren't a pervert and I should never have called you one."

Ranma smirked as she gently stroked her girlfriend's hair and said teasingly, "If either one of us is a pervert, I'm afraid I am going to have to insist that it's you."

"What?", Akane asked incredulously. "How do you figure that I'm the pervert?"

"You're a girl making out with another girl", Ranma replied flatly. "If that isn't perverted then I don't know what is."

"Would you rather I stopped?", the raven haired girl asked, steel evident in her voice as she narrowed her eyes at the girl underneath her.

"No", the red haired girl replied softly as she looked up into her fiancée's chocolate eyes and noticed a mischievous glint in them.

"Good", Akane replied as she licked her lips and a predatory smile slowly appeared on her face. She lowered herself back on top of her girlfriend's body and captured the other girl's soft lips in a passionate kiss as she said seductively, "Because I don't want to either."

"Pervert", Ranma said teasingly in between kisses. "You're my pervert though."

"Just as you're my baka", Akane replied in her own teasing voice in between kisses.

"Tomboy", the red haired girl countered as her blue eyes danced and her hands wandered around her girlfriend's back.

Rather than say another pet name or mock insult, Akane silenced her girlfriend by slipping her tongue into the other girl's mouth which effectively cut off any further conversation. Ranma reciprocated and the two of them continued to kiss one anther passionately as if they were going to be torn apart from one another at any second. They sucked in each other's air and deepened their kisses as they attempted to beat one another in who could kiss who better and thus, Martial Arts Kissing was born.

After awhile, both girls were feeling tired and they separated from one another. Akane yawned loudly as she stretched which caused her shirt to ride up some exposing her midriff. Ranma looked at her girlfriend's perfectly toned stomach and smiled before yawning herself.

"I guess we really wore ourselves out", Ranma replied as she stretched and then laid back down on her bedroll they had been making out on the whole time.

Akane nodded as she grabbed her sleeping bag and unrolled it next to the red-head. She laid down on her side facing her fiancée and said, "I love you Ranma, sweet dreams."

"G'night my love, sleep well", the red haired girl replied as she closed her eyes. She felt a little pressure on her lips and opened her eyes only to see her girlfriend kissing her again. She smiled and returned the kiss before closing her eyes again.

* * *

><p>A couple of hours after the girls had fallen asleep, the fire that Ranma had created was dying, barely more than a handful of embers. Suddenly it flared to life almost as big as a person and changed from the orange hue of a normal fire to that of a pale blue core with a dark blue corona. A woman that appeared in her mid thirties walked out of the fire and looked around, wondering why she had arrived in the middle of the woods. Her brown eyes shimmered briefly as they drifted over towards the tent and she recalled her past life. The woman smiled and played with her short dark blue hair as she walked over towards the tent and unzipped the flap and peaked inside. The blue haired matronly female smiled at the sight of the two girls sleeping besides one another.<p>

Ranma lay on her back looking incredibly peaceful inside her sleeping bag. Akane had apparently abandoned hers and had decided to join her girlfriend sometime during the night. She was pressed up against the red-head's body as her head rested comfortably on Ranma's soft chest. Her left hand cupped her girlfriend's right breast while her left leg snaked across the other girl's womanhood and waist.

The blue haired woman knelt down next to the pair of sleeping girls and kissed Akane on the forehead. She ran her fingers through the girl's raven colored hair and whispered, "Sleep well my daughter. Please take care of yourself and your girlfriend no matter what happens down the road. You two have been through so much together even before you were bonded. Don't let anything tear you apart now. I love you Akane, my sweet baby child."

The Tendo Matriarch kissed the red haired girl on the forehead and whispered, "Ranma, sleep well my future son/daughter-in-law. Take care of yourself and your girlfriend despite what happens to you in the future. You two will soon face a trial no young person should ever have to face but I have faith that you will persevere as you have through everything else so far. Keep my daughter safe and I am looking forward to the day you two get married."

Akane moaned in her sleep and asked hesitantly, "Mother?"

"Sleep, my dear sweet child", Kumiko replied gently as she kissed her daughter on the forehead once more before standing up and walking outside the tent. She looked back at the sleeping girls and sighed wistfully. Her precious Akane was so much like she was when she was a teenager. The blue haired woman sat down on the log next to the dying fire and smiled. She replayed her memories of her youngest daughter as the hours before dawn counted down and a new day would begin filled with unlimited possibilities.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Author's Notes: <strong>_

_I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. I want to thank everyone that has read this story so far and I hope I can retain your interest. Please read and review. Comments and criticism are welcome I just ask you to be nice about it. _

_I apologize for the delay on this chapter. My computer decided to die a couple weeks back and I lost everything I had written for this chapter and the next. I also lost some extra scenes I had written but hadn't used yet or wound up rejecting._


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